TUESDAY: Eight Keys by Suzanne Lafleur

Summary
Elise, an 11-year-old orphan being raised by her aunt and uncle, has a difficult time in the transition to middle school. Her locker partner is a mean-girl bully. Her elementary school best friend, Franklin, starts to feel like an anchor, holding her back. New house guests cut into the family routines that she's come to count on. She hides from school and blows off homework. Elise is floundering. Then she discovers a key with her name on it. It unlocks one of the secret rooms in her uncle's barn/workshop. That room, the first of eight, starts Elise on a journey to discover who she is and where she comes from and encourages her to decide what sort of person she wants to be.


Review
Beautiful, honest story of Elise's journey and struggles. Elise really wrestles with who she is going to be. I wanted to take on her nemesis - what a mean little thing she is! I loved the idea that her dad/family would arrange for this discovery of the eight rooms - she had a tangible expression of her father's love for her at a time when she really needed it. I needed a handful of tissues to get through the story. Beautifully told.


4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 3.8


Recommendations:  for kids 10 and older, good discussion book for family or classroom reading


Cautions: none

A MILLION WAYS HOME by Dianna Dorisi Winget

Poppy's been living in shelter care since her grandmother had a stroke and went to the hospital. But when she witnesses a crime, she's taken into protective custody with a local police officer and his mother. Poppy just wants life to go back to normal and to go back home with her grandmother, but she might never get back to that life again.

This was lovely! A touching story of family and friendship. Great animal story. Terrific realistic fiction, emotionally moving. I would recommend this to fans of books like Love, Aubrey; Eight Keys; or Counting by Sevens.

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

CHAPTER BOOK: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Mr. Terupt is the rookie teacher for a group of fifth graders including the class clown, the genius, the kid who hates school, the mean girl, the new girl, the fat girl, and the outsider. These seven students share the story of their school year together with Mr. Terupt - their struggles, their triumphs, the times the grow, the times they fail, and the accident that changes things for all of them.

I loved this story! I loved how all the kids got to tell the story (in a sentence or in a couple pages) from their point of view. I loved seeing the why behind the behavior some of them exhibit at school and even more the change that happens to them as a group over the course of the year. This book is a winner! I am looking forward to reading the sequel, Mr. Terupt Falls Again.

AR Reading level of 3.7 (although the content works better for older elementary students)
5 out of 5 stars (I couldn't stop thinking about this one after I finished the story)

Recommended for: readers 4th grade and up, fans of stories with an emotional component like Eight Keys or Love, Aubrey, although this one might appeal to boys more than those two examples since the main characters are a mixture of boys and girls.