The Actual and Awful Truth of Becky Thatcher

Alert important people! Calvin devoured this book and the main character is a girl!!! Not that he won't ever read a book where the main character is a girl—he will and does—but this book is overtly about a girl. 

There must have been something about the cover, because I did not put this before him and even suggest he read it. 

But he couldn't stop reading once he started. He made himself two hours late getting his homeschool stuff done because he couldn't stop reading. 

And I let him.

Ages 9 and up.

Description from Amazon:

Tom Sawyer’s and Huckleberry Finn’s adventures are legendary, but what about the story you haven’t heard? In 1860, eleven-year-old Becky Thatcher is the new girl in town, determined to have adventures like she promised her brother Jon before he died. With her Mama frozen in grief and her Daddy busy as town judge, Becky spends much of her time on her own, getting into mischief. Before long, she joins the boys at school in a bet to steal from the Widow Douglas, and Becky convinces her new best friend, Amy Lawrence, to join her.

But the theft doesn’t go as planned, and Widow Douglas ends up being unfairly accused of grave robbing as a result. So Becky concocts a plan to clear the Widow’s name. If she pulls it off, she might just get her Mama to notice her again, as well as fulfill her promise to Jon in a most unexpected way. That is, if that tattletale Tom Sawyer will quit following her around.

Lions of Little Rock

I really like Christopher Paul Curtis and Gary Schmidt. If you don't like Christopher Paul Curtis or Gary Schmidt (both write excellent historical fiction), you won't like this book, but if you DO like them, you should definitely read this. Lucy really liked it.

Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Ages 9 and up

From Amazon:

As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. Until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

Island of Thieves

"Only boring people get bored…Interesting people can always find something to be interested in." That’s what Tom Trelawney’s father says, anyway. Tom shouldn’t have been interested in playing with matches but he was...bored. Now the shed is in ashes and strange Uncle Harvey is the only one willing to have him stay while his parents vacation

     Tom soon discovers Harvey is going to South America on a treasure hunt and though nephews aren’t invited, he manages to tag along. Before it’s over he’ll drive a car, fire a gun and run for his life. Tom realizes that life may be about following the rules, but survival may be about breaking them.

So that's the Amazon description of this book, and I thought it was pretty darn good. Calvin loved it. He read the sequel, The Sultan's Tigers, first, and poured through this book on a day. 

Adventure, mystery, excitement. 

Ages 9 and up

Awesome.

The Castle Carona

This is Lucy's favorite book she got for Christmas this year. Funny, interesting, easy, but enjoyable. Give it to all castle lovers!

Long ago and far away . . .

There was a castle. But not just any castle. This was the grand and glittering Castle Corona.

And in this castle lived a family. But not just any family. This was the family of King Guido: rich and royal and . . . spoiled. And King Guido was so spoiled that no finery could please him, for what he longed for most was . . . a nap and a gown that didn't itch.

Far below this grand castle in the dense woods lived two peasants. But not just any peasants. These peasants, though poor and pitiful, were plucky and proud. And in possession of a stolen pouch. But not just any pouch. A pouch whose very contents had the power to unlock secrets and transform lives . . .

Ages 9 and up