A friend just gave us Snakes Don't Miss Their Mothers by M.E. Kerr. I haven't had a chance to read it, but Solana couldn't put it down. (Thanks, M!)
Solana also loved The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Dav Pilkey's new book, though I can't say it was my favorite Dav Pilkey oeuvre. I guess it's hard to top Captain Underpants.
We both loved Bella and Bean, a book I saw reviewed in A Year of Reading that had the usual theme of friendship, but also is one of the best picture books I've seen on the craft of writing poetry.
I really enjoyed The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan: a graphic novel about the Dust Bowl (better for grades 4 and up). I was a bit disappointed that there weren't more historical facts and suprised by a fantasy element. However, the story drew me in and at the same time it really captured the feeling of the dust bowl with its illustrations and dialogue. It made me ask a lot of questions about this era. It would be a great accompaniment to a unit on this topic; a good selection for struggling readers or students who are drawn to graphic novels. (published by Candlewick Press which has great titles.)
Lastly, we both loved Ghostopolis, action-packed but not too scary, about a boy's trip to a ghost world where he combats an evil villian and meets his deceased grandfather.
