Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we're rolling it back to the age of the dinosaur. Tune in Friday to find out how the answer ties into the children's picture book my little sister, Margo, wants me to tell you about. Stay tuned! See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F
I cluck around, as you can see. Most likely dinner I shall be. I never keep what is mine, you snatch it up every time. If you knew where I came from, to coop me up would not be fun. Once upon history, my relations would have eaten thee. Erect back legs and teeth to bite, they were full of strength and might. I'm not so big anymore; back then I was a dinosaur. Fill in the blank: Answer: Dinosaur
Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? Evolution is fascinating, and this is a great example of how life changes in time. ; ) ~ F
I cluck around, as you can see. Most likely dinner I shall be. I never keep what is mine, you snatch it up every time. If you knew where I came from, to coop me up would not be fun. Once upon history, my relations would have eaten thee. Erect back legs and teeth to bite, they were full of strength and might. I'm not so big anymore; back then I was a _______. Fill in the blank. Stop by Wednesday for the answer.
Nory Horrace's magic doesn’t seem to work the way she would like it to- it’s wonky.
Being able to turn into an animal should be easy, especially the small black
kitten she needs to change into for the Big Test at Sage Academy. Every time
she tries, she turns into the wrong animal- or rather a combination of animals,
like a bat and a cat. Worst of all, she gets lost in the mind of the creature
and ends up embarrassing herself. It only makes things harder that her father
is the headmaster of the academy. When Nory fails the Big Test she is
heartbroken, but when an aunt she doesn’t know comes to take her away, Nory’s
heart sinks even more. Her dad doesn’t want her to stay at his house with her
wonky magic. Now she won’t get to see
her brother and sister. Plus, they won’t even answer her phone calls. At her new
school, there’s a class for kids who have upside-down magic. Their magic does
the opposite of what it’s supposed to do.The kids in class seem nice, but Nory thinks they are a
little strange. She and another student, Elliot, who turns things to ice
instead setting them on fire, decide they don’t belong there and devise a plan
to get into the “normal” magic classes. Will Elliot and Nory be able to
tame their magic? Is it possible to take the test again and get out of the class they're in? Will Nory talk to her family again? Why
is her dad so disappointed in her? Read this fast-paced story and find out!
I had fun
reading Upside-Down Magic by
Sarah Mlynowski! It was a book filled with unique characters, and I was easily
able to read it in one day. I felt bad for Nory and her friends that they had
trouble controlling their powers, also that they were often surprised by the
outcome of their attempts. I imagine it'd be tough to lose control
and have your magic surprise you all the time. It was fascinating to see what happened in the upside-down class. I thought their teacher
was nice, and I liked how she pointed out what made them even more
important was that their skills were different. Being able to do things that others can’t comes in handy! My favorite part was probably the end, but I don’t
want to give anything away. I would recommend this book to kids (and adults) in second grade and up who enjoy stories with magic and characters that have a lot to
learn. I know it will be exciting to read the rest of the books in the series!
Has
anyone else read Upside-Down Magic?
Or have you read another book by Sarah Mlynowski? We’d love to hear your
thoughts!
Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week, we'll flip for Lizzy's review. Tune in Friday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F
If this is that, it's flipped around. Spacey sky now stony ground. When what was seen appears in view it will look completely new. Uncertain in real form, one way or the other depends on the norm. What am I referring to? Answer: Upside Down!
62 original riddles and illustrations Available in all e-book formats
TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS! ENTER THE BOOK GIVEAWAY FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 5 LIBRARY BOUND COPIES OF THE SECRET FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW. VISIT THE POST TO FIND OUT HOW TO WIN
"The novel builds to an exciting climax that takes magic in stride and suggests that further mysteries await the DMS trio."-Publishers Weekly "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
The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow Publish date: 12/1/15 Publisher: Delacorte Press Illustrator: Roman Muradov Ages: 9-12 Grade Level: 4-7 Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book
Limited Edition Library Bound
Eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow is less than thrilled that her family is moving thousands of miles from civilization to the quiet country town of Ashpot, Connecticut, where she’s absolutely certain she’ll die of boredom.
As if leaving Manhattan and her best friend, Lizzy, the only other member of the elite Detective Mystery Squad, weren’t bad enough, Fairday is stuck living in the infamous Begonia House, a creepy old Victorian with dark passageways, a gigantic dead willow tree, and a mysterious past.
Before she can even unpack, strange music coming from behind a padlocked door leads Fairday up a spiral staircase and into a secret room, where she finds an ancient mirror, a brass key, and a curious portrait of a red-haired lady.
These seemingly unrelated items prove to be the first in a series of clues that takes Fairday, the visiting Lizzy, and their new squad member, Marcus, on an amazing adventure.
Can the members of the Detective Mystery Squad piece together the puzzle before it’s too late? Or will whatever’s causing trouble find Fairday and her friends first?
“Remember, young lady, you have to think beyond what you know to be real. You have to see with your mind as well as your eyes.” The old man pulled his glasses down to the end of his nose and looked at her. “Be careful, Miss Morrow. Please be very careful.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson
Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson are co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series. They met freshman year of high school in English class, where they discovered they liked the same books. Their friendship grew, and over the years they went on to work as servers together, go to the same college for a short time, and they even became roommates for a while. Many books were discussed, but none were ever written. Now, after the release of their first middle grade novel, The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow, Stephanie and Jess are continuing to build suspense in book 2: Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library.
If you're interested in engaging readers with tips on crafting stories, host an event with Stephanie and Jess. The authors discuss their journey collaborating on a mystery series in a Google Slides presentation or conduct writing workshops to inspire creative thinking. The workshops focus on using visualization to inspire writing; older students get to be the editor. 😮
Camp Summerset, Summer Reading Group, NY
To learn more about booking an event with Stephanie and Jess, visit their website: fairdaysfiles.com
The next case in the DMS files is open! Catch the book buzz in Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library.
The Detective Mystery Squad tries to stop a bookworm from eating words in stories. The mystery unwinds as three young sleuths uncover a world where books are alive and legends guard a library that doesn't exist.
While you're here, check out what's happening on Fairday's Blog. Fairday and Lizzy are bookworms who can't get enough to read. They love sharing their thoughts about books they like and engaging readers with creative posts.
Stay for a spell and take a look around!
Fairday and Lizzy love to discuss books, and they invite you to join in the reading fun. Lizzy's reviewfocuses on middle grade and Fairday reviews children's picture books her little sister, Margo, picks to share.
Fairday's Story Album is packed with articles about writing, reading, and collaborating on books. If you're working on a manuscript or publishing a book, stop by this page to find out what it takes to bring a story to life.
Fairday pretty much thinks in rhyme, and on Mondays she writes a rhyming riddle that clues readers in on the theme for the week. If you're in the mood to tease your brain or love working out word puzzles, give it a try!
Drawing is a wonderful tool to inspire writing, and the next DMS drawing contest is on! Students can send in a drawing of a scene or character from The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow or Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library, and they'll be entered to win an awesome mystery prize pack.
If you want to relaxand let your mind wander take a walk in a literary forest. Follow the links through the post to keep on track. Watch out for tricky cats and sipping snakes. You'll need to keep your wits about you to find the right path through the trees!
If you'd rather contemplate the magicof twisted lines, stop by to check out Jessica Haight's illustrations. Featuring: original sketches for The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow and Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library, plus other inconceivable tangents of endless imagination. Enjoy the whimsy!
Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? Another take on perspectives. ; ) ~ F
If this is that, it's flipped around. Spacey sky now stony ground. When what was seen appears in view it will look completely new. Uncertain in real form, one way or the other depends on the norm. What am I referring to? Stop by Wednesday for the answer!
