Pie

Pie
Author: Sarah Weeks
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Aleece

Summary: After the death of Polly Portman, whose award-winning pies put the town of Ipswitch, Pennsylvania, on the map in the 1950s, her devoted niece Alice and Alice's friend Charlie investigate who is going to extremes to find Aunt Polly's secret pie crust recipe. Includes fourteen pie recipes. 2014 Bluestem Nominee.

Review: Alice's Aunt Polly "Queen of Pies" passes away. In her will, she leaves Alice her cat, Lardo, and she leaves Lardo her world famous pie crust recipe. A mystery ensues when Lardo goes missing and Alice thinks that Lardo has been catnapped all for the pie crust recipe.

This was a great book and would have received five stars except when I got to the epilogue it changed how I wanted it to end and really made me a little upset to the point where I dropped it down to four stars. I really liked Alice and her imagination that leads her to jump to conclusions sometimes when she thinks she has found the catnapper and hilarity follows when she discovers things about the people in town that she never knew before, like her body building principal. It was truly a great story based on a favorite dessert that shaped the town and the people that lived in it.

The Christmas Wish

The Christmas Wish
Author: Lori Evert
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Christi

 

Summary: Young Anja, whose greatest dream is to be one of Santa's elves, makes friends with the animals that guide her on the journey from her home in the far North to meet Santa.

Review: This book is one of my new favorite Christmas stories. Without even reading the words, the story is beautiful. Add the words and that’s what makes it a new Christmas classic. This is the story of Anja, and she wants to be one of Santa’s elves. We follow along in her adventure to the North Pole. The Christmas Wish is one of those books that as you read it for the first time you can almost see the children's faces light up during storytime and hear the oohs and ahhs as you turn the pages. This is a beautifully told story and can be that perfect Christmas present waiting under the tree, a perfect story to read aloud to your class, or even a perfect present for the adult that loves all things Christmas.

The Circle

Title: The Circle

Author: Dave Eggers
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Lydia

For fans of future dystopic technological thrillers (say that three times fast), The Circle by Dave Eggers is an interesting, albeit predictable, book about the encroaching, all-encompassing aspect of technology. The book follows a bright young woman named Mae Holland as she accepts a new position at a powerful company akin to Microsoft or Facebook. What ensues is a tangled web of scariness, as the technology her company produces becomes more and more invasive in the lives of everyday humans around the world.

And yes, that’s right—I said scary. With its roots in reality, this book is a sobering view of life as we progress and advance in science, technology, communication, and mass media. Soon the whole world knows Mae’s movements, and there is no place to hide as she wrestles with her personal demons. Dave Eggers creates a vivid illustration of what our lives can be like in a few short years. If you liked such books as Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, definitely pick up a copy of The Circle today; you won’t want to miss it.

Boys Without Names

Boys Without Names
Author: Kashmira Sheth
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Ana

Summary: Very bad economic conditions make Gopal and his family move from his tiny village into life in the Mumbai city. Gopal’s twins brothers love him so much and Gopal always tells them stories. They move without telling anybody about their trip and Gopal is sad about leaving his friends.  They have a very hard trip, with not enough money and difficulty with the language. They’re really in a very hard situation in which they are forced to live on the street for some days and ask strangers for food.  Gopal’s father is forced to leave them in a train station, so Gopal looks for their uncle who was supposed to meet them. But Gopal’s father is lost. He doesn’t know how to read directions and street signs. His family is struggling without him. When they finally find Uncle Jama, he is able to provide food and shelter for them and begin the search for Gopal's missing father. 

Review: The saddest part of the story is when Gopal looks for ways to earn money and help out. One day, he meets a boy who promises work if he will follow him immediately. Gopal is drugged and taken to a sweatshop where he and five other boys are forced to make beaded picture frames by a cruel boss named Scar.  They have to work long hours, have very little food, and they can take a shower only once a week. Their days and nights are spent breathing toxic glue fumes in a poorly lit, stuffy attic. The boys work quietly, but each boys are dreaming of returning to their families. As the weeks and months pass, Gopal begins to tell the group stories to pass the time and soon the others add stories of their own. The six boys become like a family. 

They start with the idea to escape.  “The day I step out of this place, I will see my family.” Those words where like an impossible dream.  How will they gain the freedom from Scar’s watchful eyes and locked doors?

This Caudill award winning story definitely will touch your heart. 

Infinity Ring: Cave of Wonders

Infinity Ring: Cave of Wonders
Author: Matthew J. Kirby
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Aleece

Summary: Europe is in the grip of the Dark Ages, but there is a light in the dark: Baghdad. The great city has become a center of learning, populated by scholars, merchants, and explorers from all across the known world. But danger lurks in the desert ... and Dak, Sera, and Riq must act fast to save the world's greatest library from utter destruction.

Review: Dak, Sera and Riq have to travel through time to repair breaks, and this time they are transported to Baghdad in the year 1258, right before the Mongols destroy the city. Their goal this time is to save the book written by Aristotle about the Great Breaks, including the last Great Break.

This book was so full of adventure. While Dak is constantly giving out history facts (much to the annoyance of Sera and Riq),  it does not seem overwhelming to readers and they may find it interesting. This is a great book for kids that like the 39 Clues series and even enjoyed the Magic Tree House books as kids. This book had a constant momentum that didn't let up throughout the entire book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good adventure book.

I really enjoyed this series because you really do not have to read the books in order.  Each book is a separate adventure that has some plot points tie together but are really not necessary to understand the current book.