First of all, here's a book that fits into the "good so far, but I haven't read many pages yet category":
Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck
Here are some chapter books that committee members found intriguing but hadn't yet read:
The Secret Spiral by Gillian Neimark, The Ogre of Oglefort by Eva Ibbotson, Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald, Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham, Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith, Chronicles of the Red King: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo and The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies.
These books were ruled out: Hound Dog True by Linda Urban, The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan. (Hound Dog True was a quiet book that might not appeal to a broad audience, The Unforgotten Coat had British phrases and situations that the kids might not understand, and Waiting for the Magic was a bit too quirky.)
Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I couldn't remember Stephanie's name. She is the person who started reading Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed The Ogre of Oglefort.
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading was okay. It never really grabbed me, but it was okay. Could be helpful to kids who want to figure out how not to do their reading homework, even though Charlie Joe ultimately suffered consequences for his behavior. It would be nice to choose a book with a boy protagonist who is NOT a slacker trying to get away with stuff.
I thought Hound Dog True and The Unforgotten Coat were also okay but not stellar. I loved Waiting for the Magic but agree that it's for those "special readers."
Other people should probably still read Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading. The kids might really enjoy it and other Goodreads reviews were pretty positive.
ReplyDeleteWell, sheesh, please read my book, The Secret Spiral! I would love it. If you need a giveaway copy, lemme know.
ReplyDeleteGillian Neimark