The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Every now and then you run across a book that grabs onto you and won't let you go, even after you turn the last page. This is one of those books. I don't know how these authors did it (the book is written by two women), but I was totally convinced that every character in the book must be real, must have really lived on that small island off the coast of England during World War II. I had to keep checking and rechecking the little "historical fiction" line. I haven't read a ton of WWII books beyond the Number the Stars kind of kid fare, mostly because I know that what took place in that war was so horrific, I don't think I could stomach reading an adult book set in that time period. If that's a worry you share, let me reassure you that this book deals respectfully with the subject---which is not to say that it glosses over the horror; it simply doesn't dwell on the details. I wouldn't recommend it to a reader younger than, say, fourteen. All cliche-ness aside, this book will move you and uplift you. Read it. I know you'll love it.
Happy Holidays!
2008 Cybils Nominated Titles (Middle Grade Fiction)
10 Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning
written by Mary Hershey
Wendy Lamb Books
Reviewed by: Sherry |
42 Miles
written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Clarion Books
Reviewed by: Melissa |
A Thousand Never Evers
written by Shana Burg
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
Acadian Star
written by Helene Boudreau
Nimbus
Alexandria of Africa
written by Eric Walters
Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Alice's Birthday Pig
written by Tim Kennemore
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Aloha Crossing
written by Pamela Bauer Mueller
Pinata
Alvin Ho
written by Lenore Look
Schwartz and Wade Books
Reviewed by: Everead | Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
Andrea Carter and the San Francisco Smugglers
written by Susan Marlow
Kregel
Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink
written by MAC
Toasted Coconut Media
Reviewed by: Everead | kbaccellia |
Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different
written by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Brand New School, Brave New Ruby
written by Derrick Barnes
Scholastic
Breathing Soccer
written by Debbie Spring
Thistledown
Bringing the Boy Home
written by N. A. Nelson
HarperCollins
Reviewed by: Mary | shelfelf | Sherry |
Brooklyn Bridge
written by Karen Hesse
Feiwel & Friends
Reviewed by: Mary | thereadingzone |
Carlos is Gonna Get It
written by Kevin Emerson
Arthur A Levine
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Case of the Bizarre Bouquets
written by Nancy Springer
Penguin USA
Reviewed by: Everead | Mary | Sherry |
Cemetery Street
written by Brenda Seabrooke
Holiday House
Chancey of the Maury River
written by Gigi Amateau
Candlewick Press
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Cicada Summer
written by Andrea Beaty
Amulet
Reviewed by: Mary | Matt | shelfelf | Sherry |
Clementine's Letter
written by Sara Pennypacker
Hyperion
Reviewed by: Everead | kbaccellia | Mary | Matt | Melissa | Sherry |
Cosmic
written by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Macmillan
Daisy Dawson is on Her Way
written by Steve Voake
Candlewick Press
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Diamond of Drury Lane
written by Julia Golding
Roaring Brook
Reviewed by: Everead | Sherry |
Diamond Willow
written by Helen Frost
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
Dodger and Me
written by Jordan Sonnenblick
Feiwel & Friends
Reviewed by: thereadingzone |
Dog Lost
written by Ingrid Lee
Chicken House
Don't Talk to Me About the War
written by David Adler
Viking
Reviewed by: Mary | Sherry |
Eleven
written by Patricia Reilly Giff
Wendy Lamb Books
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa | Sherry | thereadingzone |
Ellie McDoodle: New Kid in School
written and illustrated by Ruth McNally Barshaw
Bloomsbury USA
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Elvis and Olive
written by Stephanie Watson
Scholastic
Eve of the Emperor Penguin
written by Mary Pope Osborne
Random House Children's Books
Every Soul a Star
written by Wendy Mass
Little, Brown
Reviewed by: Everead | Mary | Melissa |
Fencing with Fear
Blake Education
Fiendish Deeds
written by P.J. Bracegirdle
Margaret K. McElderry
Finder's Magic
written by C.M. Fleming
Onstage Publishing
First Daughter: White House Rules
written by Mitali Perkins
Penguin USA
Reviewed by: jocelyn | Sherry |
Forever Rose
written by Hilary McKay
Margaret K. McElderry
Reviewed by: Melissa | Sherry |
Fouling Out
written by Gregory Walters
Orca Books
Reviewed by: Sherry |
From Alice to Zen and Everyone in Between
written by Elizabeth Atkinson
Carolrhoda Books
Reviewed by: Everead | Sherry |
Greetings from Nowhere
written by Barbara O'Connor
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Reviewed by: Mary |
Grow
written by Juanita Havill
Peachtree
Reviewed by: Mary | Matt | thereadingzone |
Hate that Cat
written by Sharon Creech
HarperCollins
Reviewed by: Mary | shelfelf |
Hockey Player for Life
written by Howard Shapiro
iUniverse
Hope Chest
written by Karen Schwabach
Random House Children's Books
I'm So Not a Pop Star
written by Kimberly Greene
Usborne
I.Q.
written by Roland Smith
Sleeping Bear Press
Reviewed by: Everead |
Iggy the Iguana
written by Melissa Marie Williams
Longtale Publishing
In the Company of Owls
written by Peter Huggins
New South Books
Island of Mad Scientists
written by Howard Whitehouse
Kids Can Press, Ltd
Reviewed by: Melissa | Sherry |
Itch
written by Michelle Kwasney
Henry Holt
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Jeremy Cabbage and the Living Museum of Human Oddballs and Quadruped Delights
written by David Elliott
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: Mary | Matt | Sherry |
Jessie's Mountain
written by Kerry Madden
Viking
Reviewed by: Mary | shelfelf | Sherry |
Jimmy's Stars
written by Mary Ann Rodman
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
Julia Gillian and the Art of Knowing
written by Alison McGhee
Scholastic
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Just Grace Walks the Dog
written by Charise Mericle Harper
Houghton Mifflin
Reviewed by: Mary |
Keeping Score
written by Linda Sue Park
Clarion Books
Reviewed by: Mary | Sherry |
Little Audrey
written by Ruth White
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa |
Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing
written by Guo Yue
Barefoot Books
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Lizard Love
written by Wendy Townsend
Front Street
Longhorns and Outlaws
written by Linda Aksomitis
Coteau
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Luck of the Draw
written by Diana Tuorto
Book Surge
Man in the Moon
written by Dotti Enderle
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Mary and Jody in the Movies
written by JoAnn Dawson
Jabberwocky/Sourcebooks
Masterpiece
written by Elise Broach
Henry Holt
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Meeting Miss 405
written by Lois Peterson
Orca Books
Reviewed by: thereadingzone |
Moxy Maxwell Does not Love Writing Thank You Notes
written by Peggy Gifford
Schwartz and Wade Books
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
Murder Sucks
written by June Whyte
Zumaya Thresholds
My Cousin the Alien
written by Pamela Stewart
Carolrhoda Books
Reviewed by: Melissa |
My Dad's a Birdman
written by David Almond
Candlewick Press
Reviewed by: Everead |
My New Best Friend
written by Julie Bowe
Harcourt
My One Hundred Adventures
written by Polly Horvath
Schwartz and Wade Books
Reviewed by: Mary | Sherry |
My So-Called Family
written by Courtney Schienmel
Simon & Schuster
No Cream Puffs
written by Karen Day
Wendy Lamb Books
Reviewed by: Melissa |
Piper Reed: The Great Gypsy
written by Kimberley Willis Holt
Henry Holt
Porcupine Year
written by Louise Erdrich
HarperCollins
Reviewed by: Mary |
Praire Dog Cowboy
written by V. Gilbert Zabel
4RV Publishing
Radiant Girl
written by Andrea White
Bright Sky Press
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Melissa |
Samantha Hansen has Rocks in her Head
written by Nancy Viau
Amulet
Sarah Simpson's Rules for Living
written by Rebecca Rupp
Candlewick Press
Savvy
written by Ingrid Law
Dial
Reviewed by: Everead | Mary | Melissa | shelfelf |
Searching for a Starry Night
written by Christine Verstraete
Echelon Press
Shooting the Moon
written by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Atheneum
Reviewed by: Mary | Matt | Sherry |
Sisters of the Sword
written by Maya Snow
HarperCollins
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Six Innings
written by James Preller
Feiwel & Friends
Reviewed by: Mary | Sherry | thereadingzone |
State of Wilderness
written by Elysabeth Eldering
4RV Publishing
Steinbeck's Ghost
written by Lewis Buzbee
Feiwel & Friends
Step Fourth Mallory!
written by Laurie Friedman
Carolrhoda Books
Taneesha Never Disparaging
written by M. LaVora Perry
Wisdom Publications
Tennyson
written by Lesley M.M. Blume
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Mary | Melissa | Sherry | thereadingzone |
Thank You Lucky Stars
written by Beverley Donofrio
Schwartz and Wade Books
Reviewed by: Melissa | Sherry |
The Adventures of Seamus the Sheltie
written by James Beverly
Nightengale Press
The Attack of the Growling Eyeballs
written by Lin Oliver
Simon & Schuster
The Big Splash
written by Jack Ferraiolo
Amulet
The Bone Magician
written by F.E. Higgins
Feiwel & Friends
Reviewed by: kbaccellia |
The Book of Nonsense
written by David Michael Slater
Blooming Tree Press
The Boy Who Dared
written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Scholastic
Reviewed by: Mary | Sherry |
The Buddha's Diamonds
written by Carolyn Marsden
Candlewick Press
Reviewed by: Sherry |
The Calder Game
written by Blue Balliett
Scholastic
Reviewed by: Sherry |
The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop
written by Nate Evans
Jabberwocky/Sourcebooks
The Curse of Addy McMahon
written by Katie Davis
Greenwillow Books
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Sherry |
The Dove Family Tale: A True Story
written by Jalma Barrett
Book Surge
The Floating Circus
written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Bloomsbury USA
Reviewed by: Sherry |
The Girl Who Could Fly
written by Victoria Forrester
Feiwel & Friends
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa | Sherry |
The Gollywhopper Games
written by Jody Feldman
Greenwillow Books
Reviewed by: Melissa | Sherry |
The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower
written by Lisa Graff
Laura Geringer
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Melissa |
The London Eye Mystery
written by Siobhan Dowd
David Fickling Books
Reviewed by: Everead | Melissa | Sherry |
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
written by Trenton Lee Stewart
Little, Brown
Reviewed by: Everead | Melissa |
The Penderwicks on Gardham Street
written by Jeanne Birdsall
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: Mary | Melissa |
The Postcard
written by Tony Abbott
Little, Brown
Reviewed by: Mary | thereadingzone |
The Secrets of the Cirque Medrano
written by Elaine Scott
Charlesbridge
The Tallest Tree
written by Sandra Belton
Amistad
Reviewed by: Sherry |
The Trouble with Rules
written by Leslie Bulion
Peachtree
Reviewed by: Melissa | Sherry |
The Truth About Truman School
written by Dori Hillestad Butler
Albert Whitman & Company
Reviewed by: Sherry |
The Underneath
written by Kathi Appelt
Atheneum
Reviewed by: Mary | Matt | Sherry | thereadingzone |
The Walls of Cartagena
written by Julia Durango
Simon & Schuster
Reviewed by: Melissa |
The Willoughbys
written by Lois Lowry
Houghton Mifflin
Reviewed by: Everead | Mary | Matt | Melissa | Sherry | thereadingzone |
The Year of the Rat
written by Grace Lin
Little, Brown
Reviewed by: shelfelf | Sherry |
The Youngest Templar
written by Michael Spradlin
Putnam
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Third Grade Baby
written by Jenny Meyerhoff
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Thirteen
written by Lauren Myracle
Dutton Juvenile
Tracking Daddy Down
written by Marybeth Kelsey
Greenwillow Books
Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains
written by Laurel Snyder
Random House Children's Books
Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning
written by Danette Haworth
Walker Books for Young Readers
Reviewed by: kbaccellia | Melissa | Sherry | thereadingzone |
Waiting for Normal
written by Leslie Connor
Katherine Tegen Books
Reviewed by: Everead | kbaccellia | Mary | thereadingzone |
Where the Steps Were
written by Andrea Cheng
Boyds Mills Press
White Sands, Red Menace
written by Ellen Klages
Viking
Window Boy
written by Andrea White
Bright Sky Press
Reviewed by: Sherry |
Zibby Payne and the Red Carpet Revolt
written by Alison Bell
Lobster Press