Day 13: 45 Days of Summer

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen & Jim Paulsen

Summer is the time for family road trips, and what better reason for a father/son trip than to rescue a dog from an animal shelter. 

A quick read that packs a humorous punch, Road Trip will appeal to all ages and readers.

Best for: 4th - 8th grades.

Review: Ball (Sullivan)

Title: Ball
Author: Sullivan
Genre: Picture Books, Fiction, Pets, Dogs
Pages: 32
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Ages: Preschool-2nd grades, or anyone that has a pet dog.



From the Publisher: 
A dog with a ball is one of the most relentlessly hopeful creatures on Earth. After his best little-girl pal leaves for school, this dog hits up yoga mom, baby, and even the angry cat for a quick throw. No luck. Forced to go solo, the dog begins a hilarious one-sided game of fetch until naptime's wild, ball-centric dream sequence. The pictures speak a thousand words in this comic book-style ode to canine monomania. Ball? Ball.

There are so few words in this book that a review would really have more words than the book. This is just an enjoyable look at what it's like to be a dog on a mission. Anyone who has a dog, or wants a dog, will truly appreciate the fun!

Review: Almost Home (Bauer)

Title: Almost Home
Author: Bauer
Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Family, School, Dogs

Pages: 264
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I have long been a Joan Bauer fan...if she writes it, I will read it. This latest book about 12 year old Sugar Mae Cole is a great choice for young teens and tweens. And let's be honest, could that cover be any cuter??! (But look closely, you will see that everything is not all rainbows and puppy dogs...see the wear in her sweater? Big clue about what's to come).

When Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that fresh starts aren't easy to come by for the homeless. Nevertheless, Sugar's mother has taught her to be grateful no matter what, so Sugar does her best. 

This is a book that will ring true to many students facing financial hardship in our communities. But more than that, it is the story of making your own way in the world and letting your attitude determine how things affect you. With the help of a rescue dog, Shush; a foster family; a supportive teacher; a love of poetry; and her own good humor, Sugar comes to understand that while she can't control the hand life deals her, she can control how she responds.

It is refreshing to read a book with a positive outlook on life, that's not all doom and gloom. This will find a wide audience of readers! After you've finished this, check out Close to Famous, also by Bauer. Another book you won't be disappointed by!

Review: Sorta Like a Rock Star (Quick)

Title: Sorta Like a Rock Star
Author: Quick
Genre: Fiction, High School, Death, Survival, Dogs
Pages: 362
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Amber Appleton is homeless.  She is living with her mom and her dog in the school bus that her mother drives (nicknamed the "Hello Yellow"), hoping that the school district doesn't find out and turn them in to social services.  Instead of focusing on the bad things in her life, (and believe me, there are many), she chooses to spread optimism and hope to those around her.

Amber comes in contact with a quirky cast of characters: a single mother raising a son diagnosed with autism; Father Chee and The Korean Divas for Christ (soul-singing ESL students); a grumpy old woman who wants nothing more than to make Amber cry; a video-game-playing gang of outcasts at school; and a haiku-writing war vet.

Then Amber is faced with an unspeakable tragedy and her world is shaken to the core.  Can the girl known for unceasing optimism move past all the bad things going on around her?  This is the author's first YA novel, and is also nominated for BFYA this year.  I wish it had a better cover, because it was not checked out very much at the end of the school year when it was added to the collection and I think it is because the cover gives you no idea about the treasure of a story you will find inside the cover.

This is such a wonderful book with so many zany characters.  Amber is almost annoyingly happy at the beginning, and it takes you a few pages to realize how wonderful she is.  Her enthusiasm for life is so contagious!  And then, tragedy strikes and it changes Amber completely.  But her friends do not give up on her and hope that Amber can come through the other side of the darkness.  A completely realistic character, Amber is "sorta like a rock star" to those around her, and you will fall in love with her and root for her.  There is so much to love about this book, not the least of which is how it will make you think about the way you look at life.