Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: The Backyard Secrets of Danny Wexler by Karen Pokras

Eleven-year-old Danny Wexler is growing up in a factory town during the late 1970s. His days are spent going to school, taking piano lessons, playing kickball, and hanging out with his friends. Danny has a Super-Secret Spy Notebook where he jots down mysteries he's trying to solve- like if his piano teacher is part tarantula. He's had a lot to add to his notebook recently, especially with all the reports of a white van approaching children in local towns. People are talking. Danny and his best friends, Frank and Nicholas, have a theory about the van and missing children. They know the Bermuda Triangle is involved. It has to be! They've read all about it in one of Frank's encyclopedias. Their investigation into the possible white van suspects leads them to theories about werewolves and aliens. Will they be able to solve the mystery of the white van? Is Danny's piano teacher part spider? Does the Bermuda Triangle have a role in what is happening? You'll have to try to piece together the clues with Danny to see how it all turns out!

I have read and enjoyed other books by Karen Pokras, so I was excited to get my hands on a brand new copy of The Backyard Secrets of Danny Wexler. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and mysteries, so this was a winning combination for me. Danny and his friends may have been growing up in the 1970s, but they were still easy to relate to, and I loved Danny's Super-Secret Spy Notebook. I definitely know how important it is to keep track of clues. It's amazing what you can notice when you keep a list of the facts. I liked the way aliens and the Bermuda Triangle were explained. I asked my mom about the Bermuda Triangle, and she told me when she was growing up she worried about the disappearances there. I definitely need to learn more about that area. I felt sorry for Danny as he dealt with struggles with friends. It's never easy to have problems with our friends, and watching the way some people were treating him because of his religion was really sad. I'd recommend this book to kids in third grade and up who like mysteries, realistic fiction, and history woven together. I look forward to reading more books by Karen Pokras and hopefully Danny and friends will have another mystery to solve.

Has anyone else read The Backyard Secrets of Danny Wexler? Or have you read another book by Karen Pokras? 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: Mysterious Triangle...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! We'll be sailing into a mystery next week. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block! ~ F

Troubled triangle.

Phantasmagorical pass.

Deep mystery dive. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Bermuda Triangle

Fairday's Riddles: Vanished into the Abyss...

Hello, Riddlers! My haiku riddle was lost, but then found- this is against the odds in this infamous place. Tune in Sunday to find out the answer. ~ F

Troubled triangle.

Phantasmagorical pass.

Deep mystery dive. 

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

I gave you a clue!

Spooktacular Story Time...

 

Eleanor Skeleton is here to haunt Fairday's book blog once again. Fall down the rabbit hole and soak in the spooktacular vibes. 

"I'm here to rattle your bones and fire up your imagination. Beware, dear reader- stories want to steal you away, and you may become lost in their lines. They do this because if you don't swallow them, they rot. To keep your wits when you digest stories, remember who you are- the one eating them up."

Eat Your Words

Our story did not want to rot. It wished to live, so it set out to find a dream. Stories are not alive or dead. They don't breath air or eat things. A story craves attention. 

Dreams are something else; they are born in mind. Stories are crafted from the stuff of dreams, and people are their path to living. 

Words have the power to reel a person this way or that, charging them one way or the other, or not at all. 

If a story wants to survive it must stick to the bones like a steaming bowl of oatmeal. 

Minds eat stories like guts eat proteins. Food for thought. Thought for food.

Our story did not want to die. It did not want to be forgotten like the others. They had fallen off the ledge; disappeared forever. Our story would not let that happen. It would survive. 

So it sailed off on the sea of dreams until it found a dream so powerful that no one would ever forget it. This dream's dark storm of plasma waves frothed and surged, tossing our story about. But it rode the waves, mightily holding its lines together, until it came upon a secret place swirling with pure emotional energy.

Our story gripped tight to its purpose, fighting the plasma waves burbling around it. When our story washed up on shore, it seeped into the sand like the blackest ink you can imagine. 

Energy Flow

Our story found its solid plot and soaked the scene. In no time it would be realized, and once it was, all would be compelled by its riveting characters and twisted tangents. 

But, of course, you are the master of stories, and whichever stories you pay your attention to is forever up to you. Eat your words wisely.

    Curlicue

Speaking of eating words- 

these mysteries are bursting to be devoured!

Reviews for The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow and Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

_____________________

The novel builds to an exciting climax that takes magic in stride and suggests that further mysteries await the DMS trio. 

~ Publishers Weekly

Read the full review

This paranormal mystery will be of interest to young readers looking for something spooky but not violent or scary.

~Booklist

"[The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow] moves briskly and includes magic, action, and suspense."

~SLJ

This fine combination of clever kids, arcane mysteries, and witty conundrums falls nicely in-line with other novels featuring riddle-solving kids and literary and linguistic references.

~ Publishers Weekly

Read the full review

The plot is unique, imaginative, creative, and fresh and I like how the authors bring the written word, grammar, books, and libraries alive. The illustrations add to the appeal of the book and it is a good read for all those kids who love mysteries. The characters are interestingly portrayed and the concepts will not only encourage children to read, but will make them more imaginative and adventurous in their thinking and creativity.

~ Readers' Favorite

Read the full review

Click here to check out more about the books and read an excerpt from Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library along with Elly Skelly.

  

Halloween Classics

What happens when a flower has all the power? 

Find out in The Flower Monster

Consider me Cornerstone Owl. I may or may not care. Stay or don't, the choice is yours. I've a tale to tell. But only if the rain persists. It's the chill in the sweeping wind that stiffens the vine, that's the buzz around here. Listen. Creaking bones of bark and burrowing bug, more or less paper flesh, or so the story goes.

In a time of none, and a half turn of spin, by the throat of a running river, six twinkling loves gathered under the shadow light of the blood moon to tell fantastical stories to each other.... continue reading 

"I'm certain that you've met my good friend, Great Pumpkin. I know she's haunted Fairday's blog before. I'll let her talk you into whatever she has planned, but beware, she enjoys a good scare." 

"Ah, it's me great friend, Elly. La ti da. Nice ta see ya bones rattlin' around here. Ya know me, I like ta pop in an' take em' all on a trip to Halloween town. 'Tis a hoot ta visit with them monstrous neighbors of mine, so grab yer bag o' tricks and skip over fer a fright— if ya dare." 

Visit Halloween town with Great Pumpkin (read the comments:) 

"On the hunt for more spooky fun? Follow me into an enchanted forest."

Take a spooky stroll 

About the artwork: the images in the short Eat Your Words were formed in a mad splash of matter under my home microscope. The bits of things involved in the photoshoot were; fish skin, mushroom, drop of blood. I call this style of art, Microscopic Modern Art.

Paintings are acrylic on wood canvas board. 

You can view more of Jess's artwork at Cottagefive.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Margo's Musings: Say Cheese!

Last week when I visited the town library with my little sister, Margo, she was drawn in to the display with all the new books. I have to say there were lots of covers that had me intrigued! Although she enjoyed all the books we brought home, she did have a favorite.

The Worm Family Has It's Picture Taken by Jennifer Frank and David Ezra Stein is a book with adorable illustrations and a good message. The cover drew me in because the worms looked so sweet  and I wanted to know their story. Why were they getting their picture taken? It turns out that they're getting their first family photo done and Emma couldn't be more excited. She can't wait to see the picture hanging on the wall. But then, she starts looking at all the family photos her friends have, and she worries that since her family can't smile or fix their hair that their picture won't be as good. What are they supposed to do? Is it even worth getting a picture if they don't look fancy? 

Seeing the facial expressions on the different worms' faces really added to the story. The book will make readers think about how often we compare ourselves to others, and how often we think we need to act like or dress like our friends. I liked that Emma comes to some good conclusions as her family goes through the picture process. This is a great book to read with kids and talk about why we shouldn't compare all of our physical attributes to our friends. It also spotlights how important it is to be ourselves. 

This story has definitely become part of our house this past week. Margo is going around with her fake camera taking pictures of any insects she can find, and talking to them. Listening to her communicate with her subjects always makes me chuckle. She loves trying to boss them around! I recommend this book to kids ages five and up who like funny books and worms.

Has anyone else read The Worm Family Has It's Picture Taken? Or have you read another book by Jennifer Frank and David Ezra Stein? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Earthly Forces of Nature...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers. Next week we'll be watching the worms, so tune in to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

So delicious, dirt in me; minerals, particles, everything wee. I tube around, squirm under feet, my body is long, slimy, and neat. Sometimes divided by powers that be, no big deal- each part is still me. I mix it up underground; my kind makes very little sound. Out of sight; we're easily forgotten. But remember, we eat things that are rotten. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Worms!

Fairday's Riddle: Underground Squiggles...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? They rise up after a good rain storm. ~ F

So delicious, dirt in me; minerals, particles, everything wee. I tube around, squirm under feet, my body is long, slimy, and neat. Sometimes divided by powers that be, no big deal- each part is still me. I mix it up underground; my kind makes very little sound. Out of sight; we're easily forgotten. But remember, we eat things that are rotten. 

What am I referring to? Stop by this weekend for the answer!

I gave you a clue!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler

 

Eleven-year-old Georgia Rosenbloom has been best friends with Theo since they were newborns. They even live in the same apartment building, and their moms are best friends too. Theo didn’t know his dad, and Georgia’s dad was like a father to him. Being a famous artist, her dad even taught Georgia and Theo art lessons and helped them with techniques. But her dad passed away a year ago, and things have been different since then. Georgia doesn’t feel as inspired by her art and can't seem to create anything she's happy with. She feels a part of her is missing. It doesn’t help that her mother has had to sell off some of her fathers artwork and share it with other people when Georgia just wants to keep it all for themselves. The MET is doing a big exhibit on her father and wants to learn more about his inspiration for his famous asterism series (points of stars). Theo was the one who had given her dad the idea for the series, and he even has a sketch of her father's- something Georgia doesn't have. She can't help feeling jealous. Georgia even starts a friendship with a new girl at school and tries to leave Theo out. When she stumbles upon a sketch her dad made of her, she notices points on the back. Was his last asterism really supposed to be of her? Georgia will stop at nothing to try to solve this mystery, even if she has to do it by herself. Will Georgia and Theo ever get their friendship back? Can Georgia come to terms with her father passing and get her own inspiration back? Is it possible to determine what her father's final painting in the series would have been? You will have to go on this emotional roller coaster with Georgia and find out!

I heard about Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler on a blog (I am sorry I can't remember which one) and I added it to my list of books to read. I’m so glad I read it! Georgia is a character who took that my heart and I felt for her with everything she was going through. I was distraught at the struggles going on with her and Theo. I don't like when friends fight, but I know it is happens. I really like that there is an art mystery in the book, as Georgia tried to solve what would have been her father's final piece in his masterpiece series. This book made me think about all of the things that make us who we are and how we reflect ourselves in our art. The author did a great job helping me understand Georgia and her heartbreak. I recommend this book to people in fourth grade and up who like art, mysteries, and books about friendship. If you are like me, you may need a couple tissues handy. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

Has anyone else read Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler? We’d love to hear your thoughts! 

Happy reading!

~L

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