I love to read!!! There is nothing as wonderful as curling up with a good book and transporting yourself into another character’s mind and body. It’s magical. I love the truths that are revealed through fiction. Although I sometimes read books for grownups, most of the books I choose to read are for kids and teens. In 2002 I started a book club for 8-12 year olds. Here are the books we’ve read and loved:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume (www.judyblume.com)

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, by Jack Gantos (www.jackgantos.com)

The School Story, by Andrew Clements (www.andrewclements.com)

The Diary of Melanie Martin, by Carol Weston (www.carolweston.com)

Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary (www.beverlycleary.com)

Just Juice, by Karen Hesse

Seesaw Girl, by Linda Sue Park (www.lindasuepark.com)

Anastasia Krupnik, by Lois Lowry (www.loislowry.com)

Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry (www.loislowry.com)

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman (www.neilgaiman.com)

Half Magic, by Edward Eager

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine (www.harperchildrens.com/hch/author/author/levine)

Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowry (www.loislowry.com)

Sahara Special, by Esme Raji Codell (www.planetesme.com)

Because of Winn Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo (www.katedicamillo.com)

Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech (www.sharoncreech.com)

Fig Pudding, by Ralph Fletcher (www.ralphfletcher.com)

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, by Bette Bao Lord

Poppy, by Avi (www.avi-writer.com)

Notes from a Liar and her Dog, by Gennifer Choldenko (www.choldenko.com)

If you are looking for a good book to read, try one of the above or anything else by these authors. Other authors that I love but that we haven’t gotten to yet in book club are: Katherine Paterson (www.terabithia.com), Patricia MacLachlan (patriciamaclachlanbooks.com), Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (www.simonsays.com/content/index.cfm?sid=510), Patricia Reilly Giff, Pamela Munoz Ryan (pammunozryan.com), and Katherine Hannigan.

I realized I can’t be a mom/wife/author/friend/sister/daughter/book club facilitator all at the same time and still keep my sanity, so I’ve put the book club on a temporary hiatus. However, I will use this spot to highlight some of the newer books I’ve read and loved.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis
This is my new favorite book! I loved it so much that I read it twice in one week. Really! You should read this book. Everyone should read this book. I laughed and cried and connected with all the characters in a deep, powerful way. You’ve got Emma-Jean, a very strange seventh grade girl, very much the social outcast. You’ve got Colleen, the nice girl who cares so much about what everyone thinks. You’ve got Laura, the mean girl who seems to run the school, though nobody truly likes her. You’ve got Emma-Jean’s caring mom, her father who passed away, and Vikram, a man who rents a room in their home and cooks amazing Indian dishes for them every night. You’ve even got a popular, cool, and knight-like boy named Will Keeler to round out this lovely story about connections, relationships, and middle-school social angst. This book reminded me a bit of Blubber, by Judy Blume. (Huge compliment, as that was my favorite book growing up.) Although Blubber is set at an elementary school and deals head on with bullying, this book, for a slightly older crowd, touches on many similar themes. I hope lots and lots of middle school kids read Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree!

Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, Edited by Jennifer O’Connell
This collection of essays is a must-read for every adult who grew up with Judy Blume. I laughed and cried my way through the entire book. I wonder if Judy Blume has read it. I wonder how she feels knowing she’s had such a gigantic impact on so many girls. Powerful stuff!

A Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
This buzz-worthy book, which takes place in the early 20th Century, tells the story of Maud, an 11-year-old orphan. Maud thinks it’s the best day in her life when she is adopted by Miss Hyacinth Hawthorn, but that is only the beginning of a very twisted tale. Amid spirits, Ouija boards, lies, and adventure, Maud grows up, makes difficult choices, and finds a better life. I kept picturing this book as a movie. It would be a great one! A fun, fun read.

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins, Illustrated by Paul Zelinsky
I love this book! It’s the perfect chapter book to read aloud to kindergartners, first, or second graders. (I even caught my twelve-year-old son reading it when I left it on the kitchen table. It’s irresistible!) With humor and tenderness, Jenkins tells the story of Lumphy, Plastic, Stingray, and the little girl who loves them. Each toy has its own unique personality, and kids will find much to understand and identify with in their stories. Buy this book the next time you need a gift for a 5-8 year old.  

Alabama Moon by Watt Key
Yet another fabulous debut! This is a survival/adventure/friendship story that both boys and girls will love. Moon Blake has been raised in the woods by his militant and loner father. He’s never been to school. Never played with friends. Never known anyone besides his parents. But when his father dies, Moon comes to see the world through his own eyes, rather than his dad’s. A very interesting and different coming-of-age story.

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
This is the best Holocaust book for kids I have ever read. Ever! Based on the true story of the author’s aunt’s experience as a child in the Lodz ghetto, this beautiful and powerful novel in free verse will chill and inspire you. An absolute must-read for everyone!

Sheep by Valerie Hobbs
This is almost like a kinder, gentler Edward Tulane story. A touching tale told from a border collie’s point of view about finding purpose and love in life. Make sure you have a tissue nearby!

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Amazing debut novel about a girl with an autistic brother. 12-year-old Catherine’s role in her family and her new friendship with a disabled boy is sensitively portrayed, believable, and touching. I can’t wait to see what Cindy Lord will write next!

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
Another debut not to be missed! This story for teens is about 16-year-old Simone and her relationship with her Jewish birth mother. It’s about identity, family, faith, and friendship. You’ll need a tissue!

A Bad Boy Can Be Good For a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
Definitely for teens! I wouldn’t want my 11-year-old reading this, but in a few years, it will be on her shelf. This story, written in free verse, is about three different girls and their relationship with the same boy. They each get used by him and subsequently learn and grow from the experience. The beauty of this book is just how empowering the girls’ collective stories are. A great book for any girl who is beginning to get involved in romantic relationships.  

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo
Kate has done it again! This is a wonderful, heart-wrenching tale that’s destined to become a classic. I didn’t think I would fall in love with a china rabbit, but I did. And I dare you not to.

Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time, by Lisa Yee
What a fun follow-up to Millicent Min, Girl Genius! I loved the snappy pace and true voice, and I’m looking forward to the third book in the series starring Emily Ebers.

Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
Okay, so this isn’t a new book. It was written in 1943! But I’m just getting around to it now because my kids are reading it for school. It’s historical fiction set in Boston at the beginning of the American Revolution. This is a truly inspiring story that gives wonderful insight into our country’s formative years. Johnny is flawed and loveable all at once.

Happy Reading!