Mysteries of Cove Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage

In Cove, a city sealed inside of a mountain to stay away from the poisonous air that technology and polution have caused, there lives a boy named Trenton Coleman. Trenton Coleman wants to be a mechanic, which is good Cove needs good mechanics. But what Cove doesn't need is curiousity, invention, and people coming up with ways to improve what they already have.

Why? Because technology, the city history books say, is why they had to go inside the mountain to begin with to escape all the pollution and destruction. So, is creativity really a bad thing? Trenton's new friend Kallista says no. And when Trenton's friend Clyde is convicted to a few days of "retraining" just because he drew a picture, Trenton really starts to think about whether or not inventiveness and creativity are really bad things. And as he and Kallista start to follow clues her dad left behind before his mysterious death, Trenton starts to realize that not only is inventing a good thing, but it may be the only thing that can save all of them. Mysteries of Cove by J. Scott Savage is a great book for middle grade readers, and anyone who enjoys dystopian and steam punk.

The Goonies - Movie Review

When their neighborhood is threated, Mikey (Sean Astin) and his friends who call themselves The Goonies fear they'll be parted forever. But when they find an old treasure map and realize that a huge treasure could be within reach, the friends take off to find it in the hope that it will save their neighborhood.

But they didn't expect to find escaped convicts, deadly boobie traps, and strange creatures on their quest. Will the kids be successful? Watch the movie and find out! The Goonies, directed by Richard Donner and starring Sean Astin, is a good family movie, though it does contain some crude humor. It is rated PG.

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz is an extremely well written book about a young Jewish boy who is taken captive by the Nazis at the beginning of WWII when Hitler's army invades Poland.

The young man then goes from one concentration camp to another, and the reader follows along with him, watching his trials and dangers as he fights to stay alive. The book is a great one for young people to read, and for adults as well. Anyone interested in learning more about the second World War would enjoy this book.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart is a delightful story about four gifted children who are brought together to help the kindly Mr. Benedict take on the sinister Mr. Curtain in Mr. Curtain's bid to take over the world.

Posing as youngsters interested in Mr. Curtain's exclusive "school" (actually a training ground to recruit followers) they infiltrate Mr. Curtain's domain and look for ways to stop him from taking control of society. Will they be able to do it with Mr. Benedict's help, and the help of other good guys, like the mysterious (though constantly sad) Miligan, and Mr. Benedict's other friends? Read the book and find out! It's a great book for kids as well as adults. I was delighted to find out that this story has been made into a series on Disney plus. While I cannot give an opinion on Disney's adaptations of the book, since I haven't watched them, I still think it's pretty great that such a fun story has been put on film!

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck tells the story of siblings Joe and Mary Alice and the few weeks every summer they spend with their very interesting grandma, from the time they're little to the time they're young teenagers.

The brother and sister who are from Chicago, have various adventures with their grandma who lives in a small town, from "borrowing" a boat to go fishing where they're not legally allowed to fish, to helping an abused young woman and an overly controlled young man escaped their situations with the help of some old clothes, and old lantern, and a ghostly legend. The stories are delightful and while funny, also teach the reader valuable life lessons about honesty and owning up to mistakes. The ending of the story is especially touching. I recommend the book to young people as well as adults. A Long Way from Chicago was published in 2000.

The Hope of Elephants by Amanda Rawson Hill

The Hope of Elephants by Amanda Rawson Hill is a novel told in free verse by a young cancer patient.

Her dad has had cancer several times, but now it's her turn. And why is the "Elephants" in the title part of the story? Because Elephants don't get cancer. At least they don't get it at the same rate humans do. The story itself is told in lovely free verse poems, using a balance of humor and grief. I found it to be sweet and painful at the same time, and I would recommend this book to young people and adults. Especially those who have been affected by any type of cancer.

Secrets of the Looking Glass (The Lost Wonderland Diaries book 2) by J. Scott Savage.

Secrets of the Looking Glass by J. Scott Savage is a fun book for kids and adults. Friends Celia and Tyrus are off on another adventure.

Tyrus is a book geek, and Celia struggles to overcome her dyslexia. I love the combination of the two characters and how they complement each other. In this story, the two friends are split. Meaning each one has a part of him or her split off, and each becomes two separate people. Tyrus becomes Ty and Tyrus, Celia becomes Lia and Celia. Not having read Carroll's original works I can't compare them, but I really did enjoy this story. I love how the characters are so relatable and have realistic struggles that they work courageously to turn into strengths.