The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood

This is an older book (1998), but it was on several "best book" lists, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. It's a great historical fiction book about an orphan, Widge, who tries to steal the script for Hamlet from Shakespeare's theater company. There are plenty of surprises awaiting the reader as well as glimpses into the world of England in the late 1500s. I especially enjoyed the parts surrounding the actors and theater world.

This is book 1 in a series of 3.

Topics: Elizabethan England, Shakespeare, shorthand, publishing plays, acting, actors, orphans

Genre: historical fiction

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 4 of 5

Amazon reviews

The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

Book 1: The Thief (Newbery honor book)
Book 2: The Queen of Attolia
Book 3: The King of Attolia
Book 4: A Conspiracy of Kings

I found myself engrossed in these stories. I can't exactly explain why. At times I found parts of them confusing, but man, were they compelling. I had a hard time putting them down. Lots of political intrigue, suspicion, spying, thievery, romance, battle scenes, gods and goddesses, unexpected twists, etc.

Genre: fantasy (light)

Recommended audience: gr 7 and up

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 3.5 of 5

Note: does contain some harsh language and some graphic descriptions of wounds

Amazon Reviews:
The Thief
The Queen of Attolia
The King of Attolia
A Conspiracy of Kings

Nation by Terry Pratchett

It's been a long time since I've read a middle school/young adult book that I've wanted to re-read right after I'd read it the first time. This is definitely a "thinking" book. There are so many levels to its sophistication. I think it'd be a great book for discussion in the area of science, faith, and imperialism/racial superiority.

As a former science teacher, I enjoyed the many references, both obvious and subtle, to scientific topics. As a Christian, I was okay with the questions of faith. Some books blatantly bash Christianity, but this one was different. It was questioning any religious beliefs...not saying religion/faith wasn't important or real, rather questioning why you believe what you believe. Are your beliefs based on things you've always assumed are true or on what you know to be true?

The other strand in the book I found fascinating was that of racial superiority and the imperialistic actions of many countries in the past. Why is it that many European countries and the U.S. think/thought they were superior to third-world countries, for instance? What makes one country/people "better" than another? Are they really "better"?

I would love to work with a group of students discussing this book. Very thought provoking. An important read, I believe.

Genre: fantasy (but not fantastical...more like fantasy "light")

Topics: tidal wave, astronomy, imperialism, survival, religion, faith, scientific inquiry, superiority of one over another, dolphins, shipwreck

Audience: 8th graders (or kids who like to think/ponder)

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 5 of 5

Amazon reviews

Rescuing Seneca Crane by Susan Runholt

Rescuing Seneca Crane is the second book in the Kari and Lucas Mysteries. The first was The Mystery of the Third Lucretia.

Once again, Kari and Lucas are off adventuring around the world with Kari's mother. This time they travel to Scotland where Kari's mother is interviewing Seneca Crane, a fifteen-year-old piano prodigy. Kari and Lucas develop a friendship with Seneca, so when Seneca disappears, Kari and Lucas head off to try to rescue Seneca. They encounter many adventures/misadventures along the way and meet some cute guys near where they suspect Seneca may be being held.

Some of the elements of the rescue may be a little far-fetched, but hey, this is a book for middle schoolers. It's a great mystery and great fun to read. You won't be disappointed.

Topics: concert pianist, kidnapping, Scotland, fly-fishing casting, greed, step-fathers, managers, ingenuity

Genre: realistic fiction, mystery

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 4.5 of 5

Amazon Reviews

Much Ado about Grubstake by Jean Ferris

Much Ado about Grubstake is one fun book. It's set in Grubstake, a rundown, dying mining town in the Old West. Arley Pickett is a 16-year-old girl who runs a boarding house for some of the few miners who remain. She, too, owns a mine, left by her father who died in an explosion there, so she doesn't much care for mines anymore.

One day, on the train that comes to Grubstake once a month, a city slicker arrives who offers cash for any of the mines the miners want to sell. Arley is immediately suspicious. Who would want to pay money for mines that were all dried up? That begins her humorous adventures of determining who the bad guys are, what's really going on, and how to save the people she cares for...unusual though they may be. There's Everdene, the saloon owner who's been burned by men; Duncan, the young newspaper owner/journalist; Outdoor John and Prairie Martin, two of Arley's boarders; pretentious Lacey, nasty Charles Randall, and mysterious Morgan to name a few.

If you take this book seriously, you likely won't enjoy it. However, if you read it the way it seems to be intended, it's just plain lighthearted fun. My guess is that is, indeed, the author's intention, because Arley, the main character, likes to read Penny Dreadfuls...and that's what this book seems somewhat reminiscent of.

Topics: mining, boarders, boarding house, troublesome dog, miners, swindlers, power through coercion,

Genre: historical fiction (1888)

Mrs. Beckwith's review: 4 of 5
(I agree with the one Amazon reviewer who has posted at this time....I don't know why the critic from School Library Journal was so harsh with this book. I thought it was a fun read.)

Amazon Reviews

Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes

This was one fun book to read. Bo is a 6th grader in a school full of kids from the local Air Force base families. Bo is also the son of the base commander. He has been known to get into a trouble at school, and his father is hoping 6th grade will be different.

Gari is Bo's cousin from the west coast. Gari's mom is gearing up for deployment to Iraq, so that means Gari will have to go live with her relatives, enter Bo, while her mom is gone. Gari wants to stay where she's at. She's already made plans for the school year. Gari tries to figure out different ways she can make her mom stay home...never mind her mom's orders from the Army!

Miss Loupe is their free spirited 6th grade teacher. Her motto is "Yes and...". I love how she gets her students to think and grow as learners. I wish I could have had a teacher like her! She teaches her students some improv techniques that help many of the students grow and develop in different ways.

The reader is also introduced to the brother of Miss Loupe. He's stationed in Afghanistan. The kids are involved in a project to collect things to send to him to give to kids in Afghanistan, but then the unthinkable happens. He is MIA. This starts another strand of the story...not knowing and everything that follows.

I don't know if it's because I'm the wife of an Army National Guard member or not, but I thought it was a great book. Based on what I've seen of other reviewers, it doesn't matter if you're knowledgeable about the military or not. It's a great story that gives you a little insight into what families of military members experience. It's a story that will have you laughing out loud in parts...thoroughly enjoyable.

Topics: military life, school, family, deployment, improvisation, theater, "yes and", U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan

Recommended audience: best MS fit is 6th grade, maybe 7th, too

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 5 of 5


Amazon reviews

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

The two main characters are Ted and Kat, a brother and sister from London. Ted has a "syndrome" which is likely Asperger's from the Autism spectrum, although it's never specifically stated. Kat is a somewhat rebellious teen girl who has a love/hate relationship with her brother, Ted.

Ted and Kat's cousin, Salim, and Salim's mother are moving to New York City and decide to stop to visit Ted and Kat's family in London. While there, they all decide to take a ride on the London Eye. Thanks to a ticket from a mysterious stranger, Salim goes on the London Eye alone. One problem, though. He doesn't get off. The remainder of the story is the attempt to discover what happened to Salim. Ted and Kat are the two primary investigators. Ted's unique way of seeing things ultimately helps solve the mystery.

Topics: family, missing people, London Eye, brother/sister, weather, clues, mystery, observations, British"isms"

Sensitive areas: alcohol and tobacco use, language (sporadic)

Mrs. Beckwith's Review: 4 of 5

Amazon Reviews

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson

Ellsworth takes a trip to New York to search for a family treasure that only a child can uncover. He teams up with his cousin Jess. While they are searching for the treasure, they uncover other family mysteries/secrets that have caused different family members great pain.

You get to meet older adults from their family and read stories of some of the family members whom have died many years ago. The author develops the characters so that you seem to really know them. There's a family tree in the front of the book to help you figure out where everyone fits in.

Another interesting thing about the book is the setting. The patriarch built a total of ten houses around The Square. Nine of the ten were originally built for the children of the patriarch. Some of the children died, and treasures were hidden in each of them. Each time, the treasure was discovered during a time of great need for the family. Each time, it was a child with an adult who discovered it.

Topics: family, secrets, mystery, heritage, paintings, misunderstandings

Genre: mystery

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 4.5 of 5

Amazon Reviews

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Sam is nearing his eleventh birthday when he discovers a mysterious newspaper clipping he's unable to read. He finds a new friend at school and has her read it for him. This starts Sam on a journey to remember things from his past. Does he really belong to the loving family he's with now, or does he really belong to some other family? Why does the number 11 bother him so much?

The story reveals pieces from Sam's past little by little, ultimately resulting in a complete picture of where he came from and who he is.

Genre: realistic fiction, mystery

Topics: family secrets, struggling to read, wood working, sailing, memories, family, the number 11

Audience: 6th graders

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 3.5 of 5

Amazon reviews

Kaleidoscope Eyes by Jen Bryant

Lyza's grandfather dies and leaves her an envelope stating, "For Lyza ONLY" along with three maps. Lyza and two of her friends work to solve the mystery of what the maps and message from Lyza's grandfather mean.

It's 1968, so the reader gets to explore a little of life in the 60s. It's a great blend of historical fiction and mystery/suspense.

Topics: treasure hunt, missing sister, hippies, Janis Joplin, racism, draft,

Genre: historical fiction (Vietnam War era) in free-verse form

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 4 of 5

Amazon Reviews

Skulduggery Pleasant (Scepter of the Ancients) by Derek Landy

I decided to "read" this book because it's an award winning audio book, and it's been on the Scholastic Book Fair circuit. The cover is what made me not want to read it initially. As I listened to the book, I found myself not really into it initially. However, by the time I got to disc 3, I didn't want to stop. It was very adventurous.

Genre: fantasy

Topics: good vs. evil, unlimited power, detectives, trolls, vampires, skeletons, Dublin, swords, power of a name

Cautions: violence

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating 3.5 of 5

Amazon Reviews

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

Loved this book. It has so many great "takeaways" in it. Harry "Dit" Sims is a kid growing up in 1917. He's from a town in Alabama. A new postmaster and his family are coming to town, and Dit hopes there is a boy. Bummer. There's a girl, and not just any girl, a colored girl, Emma. It doesn't take too long for Dit and Emma to become friends, though.

The story is about the friendship between Emma and Dit and how the kids and adults in town respond. There are also racial tensions between some of the adult whites and blacks. I wasn't alive during that era, but the book gave me what I believe to be a pretty realistic picture of what it might have been like.

The story took me through a range of emotions including laughter, anger, frustration, and sadness. It'd be an excellent choice for a book discussion/group. There are many things to talk about.

My favorite sentence from the book is, "Next time you see an injustice, take a stand. It's worth the risk." (pg 164) I think this summarizes the biggest takeaway from this book.

Topics: Alabama, racial issues, bigotry, baseball, Indian burial, 1918 influenza outbreak, taking a stand, injustice, family, fishing, school life, growing up, driving, hunting, medical care, court system, friendship, big families

Genre: historical fiction

Audience: boys or girls, grade 7 and up (some disturbing elements)

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 5 of 5

Cautions: contains the "n*" word, but it's used contextually and by a man the reader can easily identify as despicable; violent in parts

Amazon Reviews

When the Whistle Blows by Fran Cannon Slayton

This book was written in an unusual way. Jimmy Cannon describes events that happen each All Hallows' Eve from 1943 to 1949. In the first entry, Jimmy is a 7th grader. Each year, something different is described...a funeral, a football game, scaring other people, and the like. It definitely captures the voice of an adolescent male.

Because of the way it's written, it's easy to stop and start with each chapter. It was also a quick read. The characters continue to develop throughout each story building a sense of community/family. I grew up in a small town, and though the setting is different, I am able to relate to the stories being told. It's a very well done book describing small town life in the '40s.

Audience: especially boys

Genre: historical fiction

Topics: changing times, railroad, football, robbers, death, family, older brothers, emphysema, pneumonia, mischief, The Society, father/son relationships

Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 3.5 of 5 (maybe even 4 of 5)

Amazon reviews

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

What a bizarre book! I must say, however, that I was drawn into it. It starts rather slowly, but then builds to the point where you really don't want to put it down because you want to see how the mystery unfolds. Only problem....it's part of a planned trilogy, so it leaves you hanging at the end.

Thomas, he can't remember his name, comes to as he's riding in some type of elevator. When he gets to the top, he's pulled out by a group of boys. He finds himself in a different world of sorts, the Glade.

Many boys live in the Glade. They all have different jobs they perform, from medics to butchers, to map makers, to runners. The Keepers are boys who are designated to be in charge of each job area and those assigned to them. They maintain the order in the Glade.

Life in the Glade is odd. The boys seem to have their own language. No one remembers life outside the Glade unless they've gone through the Changing. The Changing is brought on by being stung by a Griever. The Grievers are part mechanical, part fleshy. I had a hard time visualizing what exactly the Grievers looked like, but I could understand the fear they caused in the Gladers.

I'm only rating it a 3.5 of 5 because obviously, I did get sucked in and wanted to finish the book, but there were times it was tedious. Take a look at some of the reviews on Amazon, and you'll understand more of what I'm talking about. If you like science fiction, it's worth reading. If you don't, I probably wouldn't suggest starting with this one.

Also, I was annoyed with the author's decision to devise what are thinly disguised swear words peppered throughout the book. "Klunk" was one of the main offenders, and after only a few chapters, the reader quickly realizes what klunk is really a substitution for.

Genre: science fiction

Audience: boys and girls, but probably more boys

Topics: problem solving, dystopia, persistence in the midst of struggle, beasts, mazes, running, maps, mind alteration, memory loss, mystery, controllers, experiment

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 3.5 of 5

Caution: violent in some parts, and language (though much if it is made up by the author)

Amazon reviews

Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

Vidya is a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in British occupied India in 1941. Her family (father, mother, brother, and Vidya) is a non-traditional Indian family. Her father is a doctor, and he volunteers his services to the freedom fighters. Gandhi was a key promoter of non-violent protests in India.

When Vidya's father is injured during a protest, everything changes. She has to leave the girls school she attends to move with her family to her grandfather's house where she'll be living with her more traditional extended family including aunts, uncles and a cousin.

There is some conflict between the families, but Vidya stays strong to her beliefs. I thought the book did a good job of depicting some of the tensions that would have been apparent in the early 1940s India. It gave many insights into the culture and religious beliefs of Hindu Indians. I'd highly recommend this book.

Genre: historical fiction

Audience: middle school (girls more likely to enjoy it)

Topics: arranged marriages, girls and education, caste system, Hindu beliefs, Hindu festivals, Brahmins, British rule, World War II, pacifism, family life, brain injury, equality, prejudice, jealousy

Mrs. Beckwith's rating 4 of 5

Amazon reviews

Alabama Moon by Watt Key

Alabama Moon is about a boy named Moon Blake. He is raised in the forest by his father. He doesn't know much about civilization, but he can survive most anything in the wilderness. After his dad dies, leaving Moon alone, Moon's situation is discovered, and he's placed in government care. There he meets some boys and the real adventure begins. Look out for adult "bad guys" and some "good guys," too. Would you be able to survive on your own in the wilderness? Would you be able to evade the bad guys?

Genre: realistic fiction, survival fiction

Topics: orphan, bullies, Alabama, government resistors, survival, police, dogs, family, sickness, unexpected friends, truth vs. lies, dysfunctional families, acceptance

Recommended audience: boys gr 6 or 7 (though older kids and girls may like it, too), reluctant readers

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 4 of 5

Cautions: language

Amazon reviews

The Red Blazer Girls: the ring of Rocamadour

What a fun read for those who like English and math, especially girls. It's a mystery that surrounds an estranged family and needs math/geometry amongst other things to solve. There are many references to Charles Dickens and Great Expectations throughout the book. The dialogue is fast-paced. Like several others who have reviewed this book, I can't wait for the second installment. Great fun!

Four girls who attend a private all-girl Catholic school stumble upon a mystery and proceed to solve it through a variety of efforts and with different "helpers" along the way. It's just another reminder that things aren't always what they seem.

Genre: contemporary realistic fiction; mystery/detective story

Topics: mystery, estranged family, math, geometry, Pythagorean Theorem, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, private school, Catholicism, artists, school dance, liking a boy, ancient artifacts, friendship, jealousy

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 4.5 of 5

Amazon reviews

Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan

Hannah is an Australian girl who is taking Japanese at her school. Her mom, a writer, decides write about Japanese gardens, so she takes Hannah with her to Japan. While the mom is off researching her book, Hannah stays with a Japanese family and learns more Japanese.

While she is with the Japanese family, an adventure unfolds beginning with a mysterious message and strange occurrences which lead to a ghost boy.

I think the thing I liked best about this book was how much I learned about Japanese culture and some history. It didn't feel like I was "learning." The information was necessary in the story development. I'd encourage anyone to read this who is interested in Japanese culture with some Australian culture mixed in.

Genre: fantasy (supernatural), but contemporary, multicultural

Topics: Japan, paper art, ghosts, culture, spirit world, family, riddle, haiku, donuts

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 4 of 5

Amazon reviews

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane

Molly is an 8th grader, and her dad has recently died in a car accident. One of the things she and her father shared was a love of baseball. In fact, he taught her to throw a knuckleball.

When spring arrived, Molly decided that she wanted to try out for the baseball team rather than the softball team. She encountered some resistance because, after all, she's a girl.

Walk with Molly along her journey as she discovers more about her mother, friends, the baseball team, and most of all, herself.

Genre: realistic fiction, contemporary

Topics: baseball, knuckleball, death of father, tension with mother, coaches, best friend, boys, pitching

Mrs. Beckwith's rating: 3 of 5

Amazon reviews