Marvelous Middle Grade Monday #MMGM: The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

When twelve-year-old Candice moves with her mother to Lambert, South Carolina for the summer she doesn’t know what the summer will bring. Her parents have been divorced for half a year, and now she’s spending the summer in a house her grandmother used to own. Her grandmother passed away a couple years ago and hadn’t really ever lived in the house, but she still had history in Lambert. Candice didn’t know anything about what happened to her grandmother in Lambert, but her mother fills her in on the trouble that went down when her grandma tried to find a buried treasure she was sure was underneath a tennis court. When nothing was found, her grandma left town, but people weren’t happy with the money that had been used to find a treasure that didn’t exist. Looking for a box of books Candice explores the attic and finds a letter addressed to her grandmother. She isn’t sure she should open it, but curiosity gets the better of her. What she reads in the letter makes her even more curious about the scandal her grandmother had been involved in. Could there be a buried treasure somewhere in Lambert? Candice thinks there's a chance! She fills in Brandon, the boy from across the street, and they start to do some detective work. One clue leads to the next, and the two new friends are hoping they'll discover something exciting that has been overlooked for all these years. Does a treasure exist? Is it possible for Brandon and Candice to follow clues to find the treasure or are they going on a wild goose chase? You'll have to read this mystery to find out what they learn in the end!

The Parker Inheritance is the first book I have read by Varian Johnson. What a treat! Right from Candice finding the letter in the attic I was hooked. Was there a treasure? I wanted to know. It was so much fun tagging along with Candice and Brandon as they pieced together the clues and dug into the history of the town. I love how history and mystery were woven together in a way that makes you want to dig into your own history to see what you'll discover. I loved that the main characters both had a passion for reading and talked books with each other, like I do with my best friend. I could also relate to Candice and her adjustment to her parent’s divorce. I would recommend this book to anyone in 4th grade or up who likes to solve mysteries and is up for an adventure. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

Has anyone else read The Parker Inheritance? Or have you read another book by Varian Johnson? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Open the Letter!

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! We'll be checking the post to see what's in store. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? It's fun to get one from a friend. Tune in Friday for the answer. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Thoughts sealed from your view. 

Know the secret if for you. 

Could be old or new.  

What am I referring to? Answer: Letter!

Fairday's Riddle: Sealed Secrets...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? It's fun to get one from a friend. Tune in Friday for the answer. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Thoughts sealed from your view. 

Know the secret if for you. 

Could be old or new.  

What am I referring to? Stop by Friday for the answer.

The picture is the clue!

Creative Garden In Mind...

We've been digging up garden plots, and now Eleanor Skeleton invites you to visit her secret garden. You never know what mysteries you'll find lurking under the soil. 

Welcome to my garden fleshy folk. I have many marvelous plants and herbs growing in this special plot, plus some other oddities you may delight in. If you're feeling your bones today, go around the Rainbow Ride- you'll find yourself lost in a creative garden in mind.

RAINBOW RIDE

Behind the artwork

This project is so much fun! There are actually three more worlds to do, not four. The Indigo world is done, but it's out of order, so you'll have to wait for that one- if you follow this blog, you can probably guess what it is. 

Here's a peek at the art behind the scenes

Everything Beautiful

Materials used: Canvas paper, crystals, glue, pens, pencil

Morning Glory Rose Garden Bliss

Materials used: Canvas paper, crystals, glue, pens, pencil, pipe cleaners, copper wire, mirrors

Piekne Place

Materials used: Canvas paper, crystals, glue, pens, pencil, pipe cleaners, copper wire, mirrors

RAINBOW RIDE

Materials used: Canvas paper, crystals, glue, pens, pencil, home grown crystals, plastic eyeballs & bubbles, copper wire, pipe cleaners, mirrors

The Rainbow Ride collection on my art wall

Rainbow Myxtress

Materials used: Acrylic paint, clay, wood canvas, crystals, glue, dried flowers

Now, go dig up your own plot and enjoy your world.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green

Macy McMillan is finishing up 6^th grade, and everything is changing. Her mom is getting married, so they’re selling Macy’s home and beloved garden to go live somewhere else. Macy worries her new bedroom won’t be “hers” and that she won’t have the fabulous garden she's worked so hard to create. Plus, now she will have two new step-sisters who don’t even know sign language. How will she know what they are saying? Although Macy is supposed to be working on centerpieces for the upcoming wedding, she is sent next door to help eighty-six-year-old Iris pack up her house because she’s moving too. Macy doesn’t know Iris and, since Iris doesn’t know sign language, Macy thinks that won’t change. But, Iris won’t let the fact that Macy is deaf stop her from sharing stories and cookies with her. People can learn to communicate, and you can feel people’s kindness. Maybe Iris can even help Macy with all the problems in her life. Is it possible to stop the wedding? What will she do about a garden? Macy has a summer full of surprises, and you’ll discover what problems can be solved, and which just have to be dealt with. 

Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green was a completely different book than the one I was prepared for when I started reading. Because of the title, I thought I was reading a fantasy book, with ties to mythology. This was a realistic story told in verse! Once I realized that magic wasn’t about to start happening, I laughed and settled into the story. Macy is a kid who is struggling with the changes in her life. She worries about her family and friends. I could understand Macy’s concerns, and I thought about how hard it must be for her to meet new people who don’t know sign language. I only know a little sign language, but reading the book motivated me to learn more. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade and up who likes books with characters and settings that are realistic. I was extremely nervous during one scene in the book, and anyone that has ever gotten in trouble with their parents will be able to relate to Macy’s dilemma. The fact that this story is told in verse makes it a fast read that has a lot of heart.

Has anyone else read Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess? Or have you read another book by Shari Green? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

 Happy Reading!

~ L

 

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

What Happens When a Garden Starts Growing?

Our town library is open with limited hours, and of course my parents make sure we get in each week to find new stories. It's exciting to see all the great book displays. Spring is the theme in the library, and Margo was drawn to the cover of this week’s favorite. 

The Curious Garden was written and illustrated by Peter Brown. The unique looking trees and shrubs on the cover made me wonder if the book would be about a real or fantastical garden. I would love to read about both!

Liam lives in a dreary city. Most people stay inside, but he loves to be outside, no matter the weather or how gray the day seems. One day while out walking he notices stairs near the old railway, and he has to climb them to see where they lead. Liam is surprised to find dead plants among the broken railway. He can tell they need care even though he isn’t a gardener. Every day Liam tends to the garden. Sometimes he waters the plants too much and other days not enough. But he is learning. As the months go by, the garden flourishes and starts to spread out, growing along the old railway.  New plants and flowers bloom. Color is everywhere, until the snow comes. Liam plans during the winter, and when spring arrives he's ready with his tools to help the plants wake up from their sleep. It doesn’t take long before the plants are thriving, and each year they spread out more and more. The plants in the garden are curious and want to know what's out there, so they keep moving and expanding. More gardeners start helping take care of the plants and flowers. The city is coming alive with beauty, and it is fabulous to watch! 

The Curious Garden is a book that will make you want to get your hands in the soil and help nurture the plants! The illustrations are beautiful and it is fun to look at all the details included on each page. My little sister, Margo, had a blast because she could spot Liam, with his bright red hair, in every picture. She’d point and laugh, “There he is!” The story helps remind the reader how important it is to treat our planet with kindness. We can help make it a happier place. Each effort we make changes our surrounding, and others may even catch our enthusiasm. I love to grow plants, and seeing everything start blooming in the spring fills my heart with hope and happiness. Even though the seasons change and our greenery gets covered in blankets of snow, we know that the world will burst with color once again. It’s the perfect time to read this book and get inspired to help some plants reawaken and grow. We are already planning our garden and will get to work as soon as it warms up a bit (we need to let the bees and other bugs finish resting for a little longer). I know we will be reading this book a few more times before returning it to the library. It's impossible not to fall into the illustrations! 

Has anyone else read The Curious Garden? Or have you read another book written by Peter Brown? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: The Plot Grows...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! We'll be digging up a good plot next week, so stay tuned! See you all around the book block. ~ f

Rainbow dew drop on spider web. Seasons shift; flow and ebb. Spring bright hues burst up from below; spectrum intention— to fervently glow. Bees pirouette in nectar tutus; lady bugs shimmy to aphid cues. Chomping caterpillars soon will fly, and flowers will appear to flitter off into sky. Find a spot ripe with ground; hear life buzzing all around. Nourishment gained by human hand comes from caring for this bit of land. The plot's even better when it's a secret, who knows what treasures you'll get a peek at?  

What am I referring to? Answer: Garden