The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a fun story appropriate for all ages, especially enjoyable when one has a good grasp of vocabulary, about a derpy fellow named Ichabod Crane who is a bit of a gold digger and aiming higher than he can realistically reach.

He is a teacher in Sleepy Hollow, New York in the early days of the U.S., teaching in a tiny one room school house. Aside from having an almost crippling fear of ghosts and monsters, thanks to his believing in books like Cotton Mathers's The History of New England Witchcraft, he gets by well enough. Until he develops a crush on Katrina Van Tassel. And her money. Brom Bones who already was interested in Katrina, won't have any of it, though. And what happens after a Halloween party where stories about the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, is anyone's guess. But Ichabod Crane doesn't have a very good night after starting on his way home. This is a fun story, and adults and children will enjoy it.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a well-written coming of age story about a young man named Ponyboy Curtis. He lives with his two older brothers. The oldest, Darry, is taking care of the younger two since their parents died in a car accident. They live on the poorer side of town, but get by and have the support of their group of friends, Steve, Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny.

Ponyboy and Johnny are close, being the youngest two, and one night, after helping out a couple of girls from the rich side of town after Dally was rude to them, get in trouble with the girls' boyfriends. When the boys try to dunk Ponyboy under the water of a fountain, Johnny, certain they're trying to drown him, does what he feels he has to do, to save his friend's life. This begins a difficult and uncertain journey for the two friends. It's a great book about growing up, friendship, and struggling to make your way in the world.

Fablehaven: Rise of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

Fablehaven: Rise of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull is the third book in the exciting series. A strange plague is turning the creatures of fablehaven in wicked creatures. Even creatures who are normally benign and helpful are turning evil!

Will Kendra and Seth find out what is causing the plague, and will they be able to save Fablehaven and its creatures, or will evil take over Fablehaven once and for all? And is the Sphinx a good guy or bad? This book is great for both kids and adults. I really enjoyed it!

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

In Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star (book 2) by Brandon Mull Seth and Kendra Sorenson are off on another adventure when a strange kid shows up at their school.

Kendra can see that he's not human, but other people can't see past the disguise he's created. Who is he, and why is he there? This sets off a series of events that puts Seth in the path of a gluttonous monster, and the siblings off on another trip to Fablehaven, their grandparents' magical creature preserve, populated by creatures both dangerous and benign, but probably the safest place for them right now. Will the boundaries of the preserve keep the gluttonous monster away from Seth? But what if they's a traitor in their company? And what will happen to Seth if the monster gets in?

Fablehaven Book 1 By Brandon Mull

Fablehaven book 1 by Brandon Mull begins the exciting adventures of siblings Seth and Kendra Sorenson.

They're going to visit their Sorenson grandparents for what they think is a regular visit. Their parents are going to be on a trip and no one else can watch them. So off they go to their grandparent's house which is off in the woods down a long, long road. Things seem normal enough, except that Grandma Sorenson is strangely absent, there's a chicken rooming with them in their attic bedroom, and Grandpa has some strange and strict rules about not leaving the yard. Plus, there are really bright butterflies they've never seen before, and Grandpa Sorenson's employees are very strange and secretive. Just maybe Grandpa and Grandma (wherever she is) are keeping secrets from their grandkids! By the way, who is the strange, creepy lady who lives in a weird shack off in the woods?

Adoring Abigail by Chalon Linton

Adoring Abigail by Chalon Linton

is a sweet regency romance. The heroine, Abigail, has self esteem issues, brought on in large part by her mother's and grandmother's mistreatment of her because of a speech impediment. She's intelligent and kind, but her mother who died before the story began, and her grandmother with whom she lives as the story unfolds, do not see these qualities. Enter Captain Robert Wilkins who insists on being called Mister Robert Wilkins now that he is no longer fighting Napoleon. He is kind, intelligent, thoughtful, and handsome. Not to mention newly rich being the recipient of his great aunt's fortune when she died. Though he can't for the life of him, figure out why she chose him. He and Abigail start developing feelings for each other. And it's a plus that she gets along well with his sister and mother as well. But of course there has to be a villain to make things interesting. And so we have, of all people, the young vicar who has designs on Abigail. And of course Mr. Mead the vicar, though intelligent, is not remotely nice. How will Abigail and Robert overcome Mr. Mead's scheming? Read this delightful book and find out!

Cragbridge Hall: The Impossible Race by Chad Morris

Cragbridge Hall: The Impossible Race by Chad Morris is the exciting finale in the three book Cragbridge Hall trilogy. Twins Derick and Abby and their friends find themselves in a race to save the future from the sinister plans of Charles Muns, the mastermind behind the attempts to steal the power of time travel from their grandpa.

Getting a terrifying message from a future where the world has been completely taken over by Muns, the kids decide they need to work to keep that future from happening. But is the future already set in stone? Or can they change what they've seen? And will competing in The Race to claim a key that looks suspiciously like the time traveling keys their grandpa has made, help to change the bleak future they've seen?