#42 Framed

Gordon Korman wrote this awesome book to follow Swindle and Zoobreak. In this book, Griffin Bing has been accused of stealing a valuable Super Bowl ring right out of the display case at school. Everything points to his guilt: especially the fact that the ring was replaced by his retainer!

However, Griffin and his friends know for sure that he didn't have anything to do with it, and they are going to prove it! Everything gets even more challenging though when all of their attempts to prove Griffin innocent just get him into more trouble, and he is kicked out of school and sent to the JFK (Jail For Kids) school.

This book will keep you laughing - and you won't want to put it down until you've finished the whole thing!

Gordon Korman's website is: http://www.gordonkorman.com/

#41 A Crooked Kind of Perfect

This is the story of Zoe Elias: a girl who dreams of being a famous piano player. She can't wait to get her own beautiful piano, take lessons, be pronounced a protege, and play in Carnegie Hall. Things don't go quite as planned, however, and instead of a piano Zoe gets a wood-grained, vinyl-seated, wheeze-bag organ.

When I was a little girl I took many years of piano lessons. I even played in my share of piano contests, and even had a couple of performances in huge auditoriums. Reading Zoe's story made me think back to my own!

There are definitely some quirky characters in this book! Zoe's Dad is sweet, but can be frustrating, since he can't even leave the house and he gets upset about everything. Zoe's Mom works way too hard and is never home: she doesn't even think she can come to the contest to see Zoe play. One of my favorite characters, though, is Wheeler Diggs. He becomes a pretty good friend, but he can be pretty annoying as well!



Whether or not you take piano lessons, I think you will love reading this book!

#40 Secrets of Dripping Fang: The Onts (Book 1)

The Onts is a book I have intended to read for quite some time and just never got around to it. Am I ever glad I did! The great language in this book had me reading it outloud to my family and laughing as I read. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

The Schluffmuffin twins, Wally and Cheyenne, are orphans longing for a home and family of their own. Finally the Mandible sisters visit the Jolly Days Orphanage and ask for children just like them! Cheyenne thinks this is the best thing that could ever happen to them - especially when they are fed banana splits and chocolate cake - but Wally is continually worried that bad things will happen. It turns out that Wally is right...and that is just the beginning!

Now on to the rest of the series!! You can learn more about author Dan Greenburg here: http://www.dangreenburg.com/

39 Iced (Crime through Time series)

If you like solving mysteries, and if you like learning about history, these books are just right for you! In each story there is a young sleuth who is trying to solve one of the mysteries from the past. In Iced, Nick Fitzmorgan's father has disappeared. He has left a strange array of clues for Nick to piece together - which lead Nick to Mount Everest.

Every few pages you'll find information about being a detective, the historic event, or something related to the case. In addition, the final pages of the book give even more information about the mysteries of the book.

These books are entertaining: they will keep you on the edge of your seat! In addition, they're not very lengthy, so if you've been feeling like many of the books I've reviewed have been way too long, these are for you!

I learned a lot about mountain climbing - and some of the mystery surrounding the first person to climb Mt. Everest. Give it a try!

Here are some of the other titles in the series:

#38 Funny Business

Okay Boys - this one's for you! Jon Scieszka edited this collection of stories that are just what you love. There is just the right amount of humor, scary stuff and things that will gross you out.

This book has stories by all of your favorite authors: Mac Barnett, Eoin Colfer, Christopher Paul Curtis, Kate DiCamillo & Jon Scieszka, Paul Feig, Jack Gantos, Jeff Kinney, David Lubar, Adam Rex, and David Yoo.

The story by Eoin Colfer, titled Artemis Begins, talks about Eoin's prankster brother and how he based the character in Artemis Fowl on him. There's a goofy history project that just doesn't work out, a crabby old grandpa with great memories to tell, and an evil turkey who takes over a household. One of my favorites was called Dear Lady Author. It's co-written by Jon Scieszka and Kate DiCamillo, and it shares the story of a boy who has to write to an author for a school assignment. He asks her questions, but her answers aren't anything like he thinks they should be.

And you recognize those other authors, right? Christopher Paul Curtis wrote Bud, Not Buddy. Jack Gantos wrote the Joey Pigza books. Jeff Kinney? I'm sure you know him as the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

These fun stories are sure to get you excited about reading - so check them out!

#37 The Capture

After hearing many requests from students asking me to read the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, I finally took the plunge and read The Capture. I wasn't so sure I'd enjoy a story about owls, but I really did - and I learned a lot about these amazing birds in the process.

Poor little Soren falls from his nest while his parents are out hunting. Before he can figure out a way back to safety he is captured by the strange yellow-eyed owls. He finds himself in what he is told is an orphanage, the St. Aegoluis Academy for Orphaned Owls, but what he discovers there is very unusual indeed. Fortunately Soren makes friends with a tiny owl named Gylfie and they know they must escape...but will they be able to? And what will they find when they leave?

I know this series is huge, and I'm not sure that I'll take time to read the rest of the series right now, but I will certainly pick up the next book sometime. I just can't wait to read what happens next! Soren has strong feelings "deep within his gizzard" and they help him to search out what he believes is the truth. I think people have those same kind of feelings. Do you?