It's Monday What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 3/27/2017

                                                   

                                                              

I'm giving fantasy a try! Not typically my favorite, but my students love it, so I have to try and embrace it. This week I read Time Stoppers by Carrie Jones.

Annie Nobody is exactly as her name describes- a nobody. She is bounced from one horrible foster home to the next. She has no friends or family and desperately seeks to be loved. Unlike Annie, Jamie Alexander DOES have a family, but they treat him terribly. He has threadbare clothing, barely enough to eat and often has the sneaking suspicion that his family doesn't quite love him the way they should. Luckily for both of these children, it's quickly revealed that they are indeed in the wrong places and they were both born to do great things like save the world! They were stolen from the lives they were meant to live and with the help of a brave dwarf named Eva, they are returned to the magical town of Aurora. There they discover a new world of fantastic creatures (ghosts, dwarves, elves, wizards etc..) and Annie and Jamie are cherished and loved as they have always wished.
As Aurora is attacked, they, along with some new friends, must bravely fight the forces of evil and learn to navigate a magical new world.

As I always write- I'm not a fantasy lover, so it takes a pretty special book to hold my interest. From the first chapters I was invested in Annie and Jamie's sad stories, and I rooted for them to find a place where they belonged. There is a good bit a humor in this book, and I enjoyed being introduced to a colorful cast of fantastic characters. It was satisfying to read both of the main characters evolution from scared children to brave heroes.

I think young fantasy lovers will enjoy this because the story moved quickly and it was easy to read. My only criticism would be that I never found out who or what stole Annie when she was a baby. I was hoping for a resolution to that lingering question but perhaps it will be answered in the sequel!

                                                         
                                                                   

Siren Sisters by Dana Langer is a really neat story. Sirens seem to be the new craze replacing vampires and zombies. They are fascinating creatures, and I'm excited that there is middle grade novel exploring the myth.

Lolly is a twelve year old girl with three gorgeous sisters. Like typical siblings, they go to school, work in the family diner and care for each other when they aren't doing the bidding of the Sea Witch and using their voices to crash boats into the shore. That's right- they are SIRENS! Lolly (against her will) is set to become a siren and join her sisters on her thirteenth birthday but she fights fiercely against the magic that would make it so. She simply can't understand how her sisters could destroy ships and risk lives. Why would they agree to become sirens? To make matters worse, one of the head townsmen, discovers the sisters' magic and makes it his personal mission to destroy them. Lolly and her best friend Jason have to rescue her sisters and break the siren curse before Lolly's transformation.

This story is really interesting. The back story and history of the Sea Witch and sirens woven into the story is engaging. Aside from the magic, Lolly's evolving friendship with Jason is sweet and very typical of a twelve year old girl. It's hard enough for her to be a pre-teen, but scales growing on her feet when all she wants to do is wear sandals to the school dance is the worst!
 As she and Jason scramble to rescue the sisters, a secret is revealed that I NEVER SAW COMING! It's very unique and proves that love between siblings is a bond that can't be broken. Lolly is a likable and brave and a character that I think my students will enjoy getting to know.