It's Thursday, and I'm keeping my promise to write about what the children in my life are reading....Matt and I read Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman this week. It was really fun reading something together, especially something as eery and mysterious as this. It's written in journal form, which grabbed Matt's attention right away. The journal opens with an entry alluding to a horrible accident that the main character, Ryan has had. His best friend Sarah was with him when it happened and they have been forbiddn to see each other. They communicate secretly through email and video throughout the story. The most engaging part is that there are directions sprinkled throughout the book to watch the videos that Sarah has made. They provide extra clues to the mystery that they are uncovering. We were left hanging at the end of the book; a sequel is forthcoming. This is a great book, especially for reluctant boy readers. A few of the videos are pretty scary, though, so you need to watch and read before you recommend this to the kids in your life.
After Skeleton Creek, Matt decided to revisit the Harry Potter series. I read the first one to him when he was seven years old, so it is interesting to watch him reread them now that he is older and can make different connections to them. He is currently reading the second book in the series. I'm sure he'll want to see the movie coming out, but it looks pretty dark to me.
Emily, has been enthralled with her own series-- the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. (Her review can be found here.) She has absolutely loved these teenagers who can fly, although she says there is a bit of kissing and cursing. (My baby is growing up!) She will anxiously await the next book in the series, due next March, just in time for her 11th birthday! In the meantime, she has begun a book called Lucky Breaks, by Susan Patron. This is a sequel to The Higher Power of Lucky, which won the Newberry in 2006. She seems to like it, but she hasn't chattered on and on about it they way she did about the Maximum Ride books.
That's what the SchoonDogs have been reading lately. Wish I had time to read like that!
