With summer just around the corner, it is time to get your hands (and eyes) on some books where there is no shortage of action. This time around though, I decided to add in a time-honored and Newbery Award-winning book “blast” from the past. Every one of these books is packed full of ADVENTURE, which we all know is a key ingredient for a great summer. Enjoy!
Return to the Secret Lake
In this sequel to the International Best Seller, The Secret Lake, more time travel adventure awaits Stella, Tom, Lucy, and Emma. Wanting the secret lake to reappear and find their way back to their friends has been impossible since the magical moles disappeared, leaving no tunnel to allow them back and forth between time periods.
But when Emma develops a life-threatening illness, the moles reappear. Lucy realizes that the best chance of curing Emma’s illness will come from the future.
Beyond enjoying the reunion of the friends, middle grade readers will become engaged in considering changes over time in vocabulary, dress, technology, and advancements in medical treatment.
Just as in the first book, The Secret Lake, this second installment carries through with the ideas of how a caring friendship transcends differences, even differences resulting from living 100 years apart, and how teamwork is always an essential element in overcoming challenges. More Info.
The Way to Storey
Eleven-year-old Luella loves living in the swamps of Florida with her grandfather, a place where fate seems determined to have her return. However, when curiosity gets the best of Lou, men come and forcedly take Gramps away, and then begin the search for Luella herself.
After escaping capture, guided by a peculiar light shining from her grandfather’s drawer, Luella sets out to find Storey, the place where her grandfather seemed to know she’d one day go. Getting there leads Luella on a swampland adventure. Without her grandfather, Luella works to persevere, beyond her fears, to reach the place he’d told her about so many times.
Will finding Storey help Lou find her grandfather and be the place she’d imagined from his stories? And why are there so many people determined to
find Luella before she finds Storey? More Info.
Trouble at Turtle Pond
After losing the beloved class pet, eleven-year-old Miles is ready for the move to Marsh Hollow where he hopes he can shake off the reputation he has had for years as a troublemaker. He’s also more than ready to ditch the nickname of “Mayhem Miles.”
After his move, Miles meets his neighbor, Pia, and joins her and the other Backyard Rangers in his new neighborhood. Miles quickly becomes motivated to do what he can to help solve ecological problems. Miles and his new friends dedicate themselves to solving the mystery of missing turtle eggs and figure out what is harming the endangered turtles in the pond. Clues unfold that indicate that illegal poaching could be happening right there in their own backyard. Somehow, Miles suddenly finds himself under suspicion by his new friends, causing him to worry that he’ll never get away from being seen as a troublemaker.
A great representation of the thoughts and feelings a child with ADHD might struggle through, especially in a situation where making new friends and starting over are at the forefront.
Middle grade readers will enjoy this great ecological mystery with a loveable, relatable central character that just needs a fresh start and an understanding circle of friends. More Info.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
This is the survival story of a 12-year-old Native American girl in the 1800s that is left behind by her tribe on a Pacific island off the coast of Southern California with her younger brother. Karana and her brother must now survive on their own facing harsh weather, rugged conditions, and a pack of wild dogs that are a constant threat. Years pass with Karana finding ways to persevere on the island alone, crafting her own home, finding food, and making her own weapons to protect herself from her enemies, the wild dogs.
Based on the true story of a Native American woman who survived on an island alone for 18 years, this is a gripping story of grit, courage, and finding the determination to keep going in the most extreme conditions imaginable.
This book teaches readers to find strength within themselves and the value of independence. Originally published in 1960, this is an award-winning and timeless story that middle grade readers will still find fascinating and relevant today. More Info.
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