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Showing posts from June, 2017

MMGM (6/26/2017): Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker

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For MMGM, I am recommending Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker. Here's the publisher's description: “If it wasn’t for the fused-with-Zyx thing, I suppose I would just be normal—whatever that means.” When Felix Yz was three years old, a hyperintelligent fourth-dimensional being became fused inside him after one of his father’s science experiments went terribly wrong. The creature is friendly, but Felix—now thirteen—won’t be able to grow to adulthood while they’re still melded together. So a risky Procedure is planned to separate them . . . but it may end up killing them both instead. This book is Felix’s secret blog, a chronicle of the days leading up to the Procedure. Some days it’s business as usual—time with his close-knit family, run-ins with a bully at school, anxiety about his crush. But life becomes more out of the ordinary with the arrival of an Estonian chess Grandmaster, the revelation of family secrets, and a train-hopping journey. When it all might be

MMGM (6/29/2017): Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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For MMGM, I am recommending Fish in a Tree  by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Here's the publisher's description: “Fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts.” — Kirkus Reviews Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike. The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an

MMGM (6/12/2017): Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

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For MMGM, I am recommending Because of Winn-Dixie  by Kate DiCamillo. Here's the description from the back of the book: When ten-year-old India Opal Buloni moves to Naomi, Florida, with her father, she doesn't know what to expect — least of all that she'll adopt Winn-Dixie, a dog she names after the supermarket where they meet. With such an unusually friendly dog at her side, Opal soon finds herself making more than a few unusual friends. And soon, Opal and her father realize — with a little help from Winn-Dixie, of course — that while they've both tasted a bit of melancholy in their lives, they still have a whole lot to be thankful for. One of the best parts about Because of Winn-Dixie  is the varied lineup of characters, all of whom are central to the book. Some much younger than Opal and some much older, all of them have their own voices and troubles. Even Winn-Dixie is so well described, he seems to come to life. The book has several lessons in it,

MMGM (6/5/2017): The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

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For MMGM, I am recommending The Fourteenth Goldfish  by Jennifer L. Holm. Here's the publisher's description: Believe in the possible . . . with this New York Times bestseller by three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm. A perfect Father’s Day read about a child’s relationship with her grandfather!  Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer. Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?  Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this gawky teenager really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?  With a lighthearted touch and plenty of humor, Jennifer Holm celebrates the wonder of science and explores fascinating questions