Winter Sky by Patricia Reilly Giff

Siria's father is a firefighter.   She worries about him.  She's already lost her mother and doesn't want to lose him, too.

Random House Children's Books (Wendy Lamb Books) sent me a copy of this book to review (thank you).  The book has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Pop has been trained well but fighting fires is still dangerous.  Siria does what she shouldn't.  She sneaks out at night and follows the trucks to the fire.  She watches her brave father fight the fire and waits for him to return to station, then she goes home.

She usually has her best friend, Douglas, with her.  But when someone starts setting fires and she gets a glimpse of Douglas' jacket on the arsonist, she's torn.  How could he have done it?  And why would he have done it?  When she accuses him, it gets worse...

Ms. Giff does a nice job of writing about young adults.  Her stories have a ring of truth in them.  It takes Seria's friends from the fire station and a dog for her to get to the truth of the matter.  It will also take them to help her mend fences and get her life straight again.  

This is written for ages 8-12 and is interesting enough to keep your child reading.  They will learn a bit about firefighters and a bit about friendship in this story.

Zigzag Zoom by Patricia Reilly Giff

The Zigzag school kids are back again and this time they're going to have a race!

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for it.  This is a series, so check for the earlier books, too.  It's a great read for those moving into chapter books.

The children in this series are typical kids.  Some are uncoordinated, some can't sing or paint, and some aren't good at physical sports.  But they all can smile, work together and accomplish their goals.  All the talents they have merge into success for them.

This time, they are going to run a foot race.  The Zigzag Zebras have been challenged by the Timpanzi Tigers.  They have a few difficulties.  They have to walk to their practice field and are almost worn out when they get there.  They've picked the wrong person to be their lead "runner".  Gina sings, she doesn't run fast.  No one is listening when she tries to tell them who should hold that position.  

No matter how big a mess they get in, they somehow manage.  That's pretty much what life is like anyway, isn't it?  I have had fun reading this series.  Why not see if your young one likes it?

Happy reading.

Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff

Jayna is living with her brother and they have created their own "family" since their parent's death.  Then Rob is called up to go to war in 1945 and she's left alone, with just her landlord for company.

Random House Children's Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It was published in January, so you can buy a copy now at your local bookstore.

Jayna is knicknamed Gingersnap because she's a redhead.  She knows they have an old cookbook from her Grandmother and that the old lady lives in Brooklyn.  When she gets a notice from the service that her brother is missing in action and may not be coming back, she decides to take charge of her own life.  She heads out for Brooklyn to look for Grandma.  Some family is better than none.  What she finds is not family, but it is a place to belong.

This is an authentic look at 1945, how simple and how hard it could be, and what one little girl will do to try to find a place to call home and a family to care for her.

I enjoyed this read.  Why not give a try and see what you think?

Happy reading. 

Sky High by Patricia Reilly Giff

The ZigZag schoolkids are back again and this year they have a special class for inventors.  Boy, oh, boy, Charlie will do good here; he's the best inventor around!

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.  Look at the rest of the series, too.  It's fun reading material for middle graders.

Each child chooses something different to show off at the Afternoon Center Inventing Fair.  One has a bug collection, one is raising a garden, one is featuring hair colors and there are lots more.  Charlie starts with his Zinger-Winger, a plane, but it gets stuck in a tree.  While launching it in flight, he knocks the bugs over and they escape and he steps on a tomato in the garden.  This is not a good start for Charlie...

Charlie is one of those boys full of ideas and energy and a bit too caught up with himself to worry about others until it's too late.  He spends time making amends and planning his next big project. 

Reading about Charlie and his friends in not boring.  Charlie is always in trouble of some kind and you have to see how it all works out.  Somehow, he always comes out on top!

Happy reading.    

Fiercely and Friends: The Sneaky Snow Fox by Patricia Reilly Giff

Are you looking forward to snow this year?  Here's a good read to get you primed for the snowy season.

Scholastic and Net Galley allowed me to download an ebook of this story for review (thank you).  It will go on sale November 1st, so make a note on your TBR list and pick it up at your local bookstore then.

This is a cute little story about a sister and brother who get excited about going out in the snow until they notice a fox playing out in the new snow.  How are they are going to go out to the bookstore and avoid the fox?

As they fret about that and prepare to go out and race to the store, you see glimpses of the fox.  When they finally get to the store, you see just what the fox is!

This is an easy to read story that little ones will enjoy reading over and over again.  Why not share it with them?

Happy reading.  

Super Surprise by Patricia Reilly Giff

The Zigzag Kids are back in Book 6!

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  The book has been published, so you can get a copy of it at your local bookstore now.

These are beginning chapter books for young readers.  Zigzag school has a nice mix of children with high aspirations even if they haven't developed all their talents yet.  I always enjoy seeing what new challenge the author gives them in each story.

Destiny has a bit of problem hearing and understanding what she's told.  She also a bit clumsy.  But she's very willing to help and loves all her classmates, so it's hard to think bad of her.  

When she hears Katz has to go, she mounts a campaign to keep the classes favorite teacher, Ms. Katz.  She and Yolanda brainstorm and decide to write poetry (an assigned class project) about Ms. Katz and her teaching.  Destiny is not so good at writing, but she can help with rhyming.

What Destiny really heard and how this all works out makes a charming little story.  Destiny also learns something about herself in the process.  I enjoyed this story.

There are several others in this series if this looks like a book your child would enjoy.  Why not share more than one story with them?

Happy reading.

Bears Beware by Patricia Reilly Giff

Mitchell is not real excited about staying overnight at the Nature Center on a field trip.  I mean, they'll be sleeping outside.  You know, where the wild things live...

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  The book has been published and is number five in the series, so there are several for you to choose from.

Mitchell is a bit fearful.  His best friend, Habib, isn't afraid of anything and he's going along too, so maybe it won't be so bad.  Ha!

With all the strange noises, Mitchell isn't sleeping and is getting scared.  But Michell learns something about himself as the night goes on.  You don't have to be fearless, but you do have to what needs to be done.

Could you do what Mitchell does?  Why not read the story and find out?

Happy reading!

R My Name is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff

The Great Depression forced people to move to find jobs and often split families apart.  This is the story of Rachel, the oldest of three children...

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has already been published, so you can find a copy at your local bookstore.  I've read many of Ms. Giff's books (she's a two-time Newbery honor winner), but this one particularly touched me.

Rachel is a young girl who finds herself uprooted from city life and moved to a farm.  The farm is run down, there are holes in the roof and there's not much furniture.  But the rent is cheap...

Pop had a job in the bank, which closed down in the Depression.  The job he moved for disappeared when he was snowed in and unable to get to the interview.  He worked for a grocer for food, but soon the grocer had to close, too.  He had no choice but travel further and hope the project he was working on would eventually pay him wages. In the meantime, the three children are left home alone.

As you watch Rachel give up her dreams and settle into being the matriarch of the family, it's very easy to see yourself in her shoes.  She refuses to give up, despite her young age.

This an excellent story of children coming of age and a family working together to better themselves.  It's also a good lesson on how life was during the days of the Great Depression.  Why not share this knowledge with your young adult?

Happy reading.

Zig Zag Kids #3: Flying Feet by Patricia Reilly Giff

Have you met the Zig Zag kids yet?  This batch of school kids is always involved in high jinks and this book is no different.


Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It's illustrated by Alasdair Bright and is available at your local bookstore now.  It's written for ages 6-9.


Charlie is always creating marvelous inventions.  Just because they don't turn out like he thinks they should doesn't mean he should give up, right?  So this time he creates "flying feet".  Suction cups on the bottom of a pair of sneakers and he'll be able to scale walls like Spiderman!


This author writes about realistic events at school and shows the challenges of being a young one in class.  I mean, who wants to be Peter Rabbit on Come As A Character Day?  Not Charlie!


This story would be fun read aloud where you could discuss the various issues she works into the story.  Would your young one (or your students) have made the same decision as Charlie?


I've read the two earlier books in this series and they're great, too.  Why not visit your local bookshop and take a look at them?


Happy reading.

Storyteller by Patricia Reilly Giff

Elizabeth does NOT want to go stay with her Aunt Libby. She barely knows her, her aunt never knows what to do with her, and she'd just rather stay home. However, her father has a business trip planned and she will just have to adjust.

Wendy Lamb Books graciously sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you) and I've grown so attached to it that I think it has join my private library.

Ms. Giff offers two stories in this book; one in the present day and one during the days of the Revolutionary War. Elizabeth is the modern girl and Zee (who looks like Elizabeth)is the pioneer version. The chapters alternate between the girls, and the author does an excellent job of making the change easy to follow and the reader anxious to see what's next. This could have been a bit awkward, but Ms. Giff does an excellent job.

Elizabeth and her aunt go looking for more information on the history of the girl in the picture and find bits and pieces as you read about Zee's life and hardships from Zee's point of view. I found this a delightful combination.

This book will be going on sale on September 14th, so add it to your TBR list and get you a copy. I highly recommend this book. It's for ages 8-14 or for anyone that appreciates good writing from a unique point of view.

Number One Kid, Big Whopper by Patricia Reilly Giff

Anytime you put a group of young children together, there will be surprises. This group of grade school children demonstrate that!

Random House Children's Books sent me a copy of Number One Kid and Big Whopper to review (thank you). These books were published in August and are available at your local bookstore.

Written for 6-9 year olds, these are easy to read fun stories about school and after school activities.

In the first book, Mitchell wants to be Number One at the Zigzag Afternoon Center. They are giving out prizes and he wants to win one in the worst way...

The second book is about Discovery Week, and Destiny wants to think of something new to discover, but ends up telling a whopper instead of admitting she can't think of anything. Now what's she going to do?

Young ones should enjoy these tales with happy endings for everyone as well as enjoy the crazy characters in the stories.

If you'd like my copy of these books, follow the rules below:

1) Leave a comment here on my blog;

2) Send me an email at info@ bookfaerie.com (take out space) and give your name and address and tell me why you'd like to read them or who you would give them to. I'll pick a winner in about a week.