Journey (2013) by Aaron Becker
This wordless picture book tells the story of a young girl who, feeling ignored by her busy family, draws a door in her bedroom to escape into new lands. Using her red crayon to save herself from dead ends and near disasters, she finds adventures and even a new friend.
This beautifully illustrated book won a 2014 Caldecott Honor. Quest and Return are the other two books in this trilogy.
Holes (1998) by Louis Sachar
I remember exactly where I was the first time I got lost in this book. I found it absolutely impossible to put down and read it all in one sitting at a quiet little park. Since then, I’ve read this book countless times. (I refuse to see the movie, of course.)
Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn’t commit. At this correctional facility, the boys are expected to dig a five foot hole every day in the blistering heat. Stanley Yelnats is not your typical hero, and I love that. I love that Louis Sachar takes such a relatively short kids’ book about a kid at a correctional facility and makes it into a grand adventure, complete with plot twists, villains, and mysteries, spanning generations. This is such a clever book and such an enjoyable read. I would recommend it without hesitation to adults. For children though, I definitely hesitate. Even though the story is an enjoyable one and the text can be read by elementary-aged readers, there are some very disturbing bits. I’m constantly tempted to read this with my children, and then I remember some of the more intense parts – fist fights, a racist mob, a sexual assault, and a murder. So… as much as I love this book, it might require a pre-read before handing it off to your young child.
Long Live the Queen (2017) by Gerry Swallow
Elspeth is back in this fun and quirky comedy by Gerry Swallow. Elspeth’s former doll, Farrah, now queen of Winkieland, has been kidnapped by the evil Mary Mary. Viewed as a hero in this land of nursery rhymes, Elspeth isn’t so sure this time about her ability to save the day. But with her unique gang of friends in tow, Elspeth manages once again to use her wit and tenacity to make things right.
Gerry’s clever and witty writing never ceases to amaze me. I read this one out loud (mostly) to my six-year old, and she loved it too. Now, we are eagerly waiting to see when the next book in the series will be released!
Another Whole Nother Story (2010)
by Dr. Cuthbert Soup (aka Gerry Swallows)
Dr. Cheeseman and his kids are back in another wacky adventure. This time they’ve traveled back in time to 1668 to help break a curse and save their mom. This sequel is just as laugh-out-loud funny and enjoyable as the first one. I’m ready for the third book of the series!
You may also like:
A Whole Nother Story
Blue in the Face
Book Scavenger (2015)
by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
I’m such a creature of habit sometimes. I love re-reading books that I already know I enjoy, so I can be pretty resistant to “new” books. And so, I almost gave up on Book Scavenger a short ways in. It was one of those instances where the quotes of praise on the back cover were what actually convinced me to keep going, and I am SO very glad I did.
This book is so much fun. It’s got riddles and mystery and suspense. It hits on how friendships and sibling relationships shift and change. It’s got literary references, San Francisco references. For a book basically about books, it’s got a lot of technology in it—blogs, forums, online games, video making, laptops… I think that was a strange concept for me, since I’m usually drawn to children’s literature that lets me escape the here-and-now world. But, I expect these technology references will help reluctant readers relate and connect to this book.
I encouraged my husband to read this book after me, since we’re both fans of a book with a similar feel, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and he blew through it in a day. Book Scavenger is Ms. Bertman’s first novel, and I can’t wait to see if there’s another on the way!