Walls

"Walls Within Walls" by Maureen Sherry is quite a fascinating book that includes a mystery to be solved by figuring out puzzles. I do like puzzles!

Our story takes place in New York City in a very amazing building, once the home to a very rich gentleman with the name Post. He loved puzzles and created one to lead the way to where most of his fabulous wealth was hidden. The only problem was... his heirs didn't get the first clue and no one has ever admitted to finding it.

Fast forward about 65 years and this grand apartment, now divided into 4 apartments, is the home to 3 children just moved from Brooklyn after their dad has "struck it rich" after inventing video games. The first thing to start this mystery rolling is the discovery of a painting of a very large eye behind a bedroom wall along with a very old Library book due around 65 years ago with instructions to return it. They take it back to the Library and to their amazement, after paying a $76.00 fine, are given another book in which is a series of poems. The hidden painting and panels behind their walls hint at finding symbols connected to these poems around New York and pushing the symbols on a hidden map will release "the golden water". An elderly neighbour or two seem also to be very interested in all of this.

Hmm - has this gotten your attention yet?

Lots of New York geography and history come into the plot as the group tries to see if this puzzles does indeed lead them to the treasure. Bets?

What are you reading today?

Big Nate

And now for something completely different!

Okay, I admit it... I liked it! What am I referring to? "Big Nate: In a Class by Himself" by Lincoln Peirce. I also have to admit I have never read any of the Wimpy Kids books so I am not really sure how this compares but I think it is very similar in style and audience. You can see Jeff Kinney's recommendation on the cover.

Cartoons generously illustrate the events and while the plot is not earth shattering it is almost plausible! I mean have you ever had a fortune cookie that tells you that today you will "surpass all others' and been very excited? That's what happens to Nate and he looks for opportunities everywhere... the only problem is that he keeps getting pink detention slips when things don't work out to plan. I found myself chuckling through much of the book and know I have many students I can recommend this book to!

You will have to read to see if the fortune comes true!

What are you reading today?

Out of My Mind

"Out of My Mind" by Sharon Draper is one of those amazing books that kept me reading into the wee hours of the night when I knew I had an early start. It didn't matter... I had to finish and it was worth it. It brought me to tears (Page 138!) and I cheered and applauded so many small yet meaningful victories throughout.

"Words. I'm surrounded by thousands of words. Maybe millions. ...... Words have swirled around me like snowflakes, each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands."

And with these words we begin the story of Melody, an eleven year old girl who has never used these words, she has never spoken, she has never written. She can't... she has cerebral palsy. Her body is her prison but inside this prison there is an amazing girl, one who has a photographic memory and is brilliant.

Her doctors and teachers think she is incapable of learning but her parents and caregiver believe in her and insist on sending her to school. Her classmates are all special and the program she is in in driving her "out of her mind" with its mindless repetition of the alphabet and cartoons until one day Melody discovers something that will change her world, something that will give her a voice where she can be heard.

Read this book - you will love it too.

What are you reading today?