Margo's Musings: Will Stone and Stick Stay Together?

We're still getting curbside pickup from our local library, and we feel so lucky. Our librarians chose awesome books for us to check out. 

Stick and Stone was written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Just looking at the cover we knew it was going to be a good book. Stick and Stone is so cute! What a team.

Stick and Stone are both alone and then they become friends. When pine cone is being prickly and mean to Stone, Stick stands up for him and helps make the situation better.  

Don’t we all like to have friends who have our back? 

When a storm hits, things get rough for Stick and Stone, and they're separated. Readers won’t be disappointed when they find out how the two are reunited. Adorable! 

It’s a book that can be read quickly and enjoyed by people of all ages. You'll turn the last page and feel your heart swell with happiness. 

Stick and Stone is a book that tells its story with a simplicity that tugs at your heart. The illustrations are super fun and appealing.The book's message is about friendship. It’s nice to have buddies that stick up for you. 

Margo and I loved seeing the character’s facial expressions, and we enjoyed their adventures. During the storm Margo was saying, “Oh, no! Oh, no! Be careful!” Even though the storm causes problems, things end well, because in a tight spot, friends help us out. This book was a winner for us. Now Margo has been playing with sticks and stones in the yard, making up her own stories. We look forward to reading more books by this author and illustrator.  

Has anyone else read Stick and Stone? Or have you read another book written by Beth Ferry or illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Stick To It...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Next week we're going to stick to the story. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties in. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Part of the whole; consisting of the same. I'm useful, harmful, interesting—depending on your game. If you need a fire, I'll oxidize the air. Looking for protection? I'll swing at those who dare. Perhaps you're feeling fancy, and like natural decor, I can be artsy when placed rightly more.  

What am I? Answer: Stick!

Fairday's Riddle: Branching Out...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? I like to find a good, artsy one and use it to decorate. ~ F

Part of the whole; consisting of the same. I'm useful, harmful, interesting—depending on your game. If you need a fire, I'll oxidize the air. Looking for protection? I'll swing at those who dare. Perhaps you're feeling fancy, and like natural decor, I can be artsy when placed rightly more.  

What am I? Stop by Friday for the answer.

I gave you a clue!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley

Five mysterious invitations go out to an eclectic group of people asking them to join a special event at the Barclay Hotel. When JJ sees his mom’s invitation he knows it’s his chance to get into the old hotel to do some ghost hunting. He has a lot of cool equipment and he’s been excited to try it out. Since his mother owes him one- it’s time to cash in. Penny is visiting her grandfather, a retired detective, and is intrigued by the old hotel. Her grandfather wants to get away and be pampered, so Penny convinces him that this is his chance. Once the invitees and the “stragglers” (the two extra kids) are at the hotel, the butler, Mr. Clark, announces that they are all there because one of them is the murderer of Mr. Barkley. And here begins the whodunit! It’s a murder mystery with some interesting suspects. Was it the CEO? The actress? The librarian or cowboy? It seems possible it could be any of them, except JJ knows his mom didn’t do it. Penny and JJ meet up with Emma, a child who lives at the hotel, and the three of them are on the case. JJ wants to clear his mom’s name and Emma and Penny want to help catch the killer. Can the three sleuths solve the case? Will the murderer strike again? Is everyone who they say they are? And are there really any ghosts at the Barclay Hotel? Will JJ get to do any ghost hunting? You’ll have to read along and spot the clues as they are unveiled. 

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel is not the first book that I’ve read by Fleur Bradley. I also read her Double Vision series, and we were lucky enough to interview her twice on our blog back then. Midnight at the Barclay Hotel reminded me of a modern day The Westing Game, but easier to understand. My teacher read The Westing Game to our class last year and most kids thought it was too confusing. There were way too many characters and it was hard to keep track of everything. My teacher was disappointed, but I’m going to recommend this one to her because I think it’s a whodunit book that other kids will love too! JJ, Penny, and Emma have a fast friendship, but it seems to make sense and is believable. They all have their own strengths and interests, which makes them intriguing. All of them are kids I would be friends with (and they'd all be perfect members of my own detective squad, The DMS).  I thought the ghost hunting was a cool aspect of the book, and I loved all the tools JJ has. I also liked trying to narrow down who had committed the murder. I highly recommend this to kids in third grade and up who like mysteries, the game of Clue, or any other book in which you try to solve a crime. It’s a murder mystery without being scary or gory. This book was a lot of fun and it had a great ending!

Has anyone else read Midnight at the Barclay Hotel? Or have you read another book by Fleur Bradley? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~ L

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

We'll be on a blog break until September. Happy Reading! Enjoy the rest of the summer. 🌞