Cinderella Smith by Stephanie Barden

Cinderella Smith, by local Seattle author, Stephanie Barden, illustrated by Dianne Goode, is a present-day story of a Cinderella (not her real name, and one she didn't get from having a wicked stepmother or by sleeping by an ashy fireplace) who faces some of the same problems as her fairy-tale namesake.

Ferreting out all the original Cinderella elements woven throughout the 148 pages of this novel makes for a fun story, along with the realistic characters dealing with issues facing children for centuries: combining families through remarriage, handling bullies, wanting to be the star of the show, frustration with personal limitations and quirks, and making new friends.

Cinderella remains that character everyone is rooting for, even when everything is going against her.  A wave of a magic wand won't fix things instantly, but this Cinderella is smart enough to keep her friends close while trying to solve her own problems.

Brixton Brothers: The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett

5/5 stars

As a fan of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries, I loved this first book in the Brixton Brothers series.  Steve is a big fan of the Bailey Brothers, reading and rereading every book in the series about two brothers who solve crimes just like Frank and Joe Hardy.  Excerpts from the Bailey Brothers books show off their famous roundhouse punch, how to find the best hiding places, and how to reveal the bad guy in front of all the witnesses, all while Steve is solving his first case and trying to answer these questions:

• Why are librarians chasing Steve through the library and all over town?
• When Steve checks out a quilting book from the library, why do the lights go out?
• Why has Steve been assigned a report on quilting over the weekend anyway?
• What is the mystery behind the mysterious Mr. E?
• Why does Steve want his best friend Dana to dress up like a gorilla?

These questions and many others are answered in the first Brixton Brothers mystery, The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity.  Those who enjoy a good mystery, such as the Hardy Boys or Encyclopedia Brown, will have a lot of fun reading this book.

All Hallows Read

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewebkist/1027779/

Dreamed up by Neil Gaiman, author of Coraline, Odd and the Frost Giants, and The Graveyard Book, All Hallows Read suggests that people give out spooky or Halloween-themed books for Halloween instead of candy.  There are several book lists on the website, for younger and older readers.  If you are looking for a good book to give away, take a look at AllHallowsRead.com.

Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

5/5 stars


Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians is part of a series of graphic novels for the 3rd to 4th grade reader, those who enjoy Diary of a Wimpy Kid and humorous graphic novels. The Lunch Lady is a secret superhero, who along with her sidekick Betty serves up fun, adventure, mystery, and corn dogs to the school. A group of students knows her secret identity and helps the Lunch Lady when the librarians begin to act suspiciously during a Book Fair. Do the librarians have a nefarious goal in mind, or are they just nervous about the upcoming Read-a-thon?

The Secret in the Attic (7 Sister Mysteries) by Ellen Miles

Booktalk version: Ophelia and her sisters, all named for Shakespeare characters, live in a small town in Vermont, with all the characteristics of a small town: a Main Street, safe streets, and a haunted house. When Ophelia babysits for the new family who moved into the "haunted house" she discovers a real-life mystery that may have to do with the town's long history.

Full-length version: On the hunt for a good easier reading level mystery, I found The Secret in the Attic by Ellen Miles (author of the Puppy Place and Kitty Corner series that are very popular with my 2nd and 3rd grade girls), part of the 7 Sister Mysteries series. I found four titles in the series, with The Secret in the Attic being the first of the four.

Seven sisters, all named for characters in Shakespeare plays, are part of the Parker clan, living in a small town in Vermont. Ophelia is the narrator of the story, and through her babysitting job for a new family in town, she becomes wrapped up in a mystery in the town's supposed haunted house.

Ophelia and her sisters and the children she is watching, Toby and Gwen Frederick, play detective, finding clues and exploring the old Bascomb house, which the Frederick family has inherited. This mystery follows the standard pattern of finding clues, red herrings, and misconceptions, leaving the reader unsure of the ending until it happens. Suspicions abound, while spooky sounds, people and even the lights going out during a thunderstorm provide a mysterious atmosphere.

This is a good basic mystery for those learning about the elements of a mystery. The main characters are mostly girls, though they have varying personalities and are involved in everything from photography, police work, literary magazines, and sports, the book might not appeal to some boys. Fans of Nancy Drew style classic mysteries will find a similar style in this book, perfect for a 3rd or 4th grader interested in mysteries. I will add this to my recommendations to our 5th grade teachers for literature circles, but might add that at that age it might only catch the attention of the girls.