While riding on his bike, Rusty sees a German sheppard chained in a yard with no food or water. Rusty takes it upon himself to care for this dog daily. On one of his visits, he notices a ghost dog with the Sheppard. The ghost dog visits Rusty at times when the sheppard needs help. When Rusty finds the sheppard injured one day, he dicides to take the sheppard and hide it in his back yard, which turns out to be challenging as well as dangerous. With the help of his friend Andrew, and the ghost dog, Rusty exposes a meth lab which is run by the dog’s owners. This book is very intense and fast paced!

This 32 page book is filled with color photographs and great information about monster trucks. The historical piece of how monster trucks started in the 1970’s is especially interesting starting with the first official monster truck, Bigfoot. It tells of the evolution of monster trucks from “crushers” to “racers” to “stunt performers.” It also informs of the significant parts of a monster truck as well as safety features. Most page spreads have a fast fact which offers monster truck trivia. This book comes with a table of contents, glossary, read more, internet sites and index pages.

Teen twins Rich and Jade know danger due to traveling with their spy father, John Chance. When they are invited to the White House for a banquet, they had no idea what danger they would encounter as a terrorist group takes the visitors hostage. The Chance twins join their father in his effort to save the President of the United States and stop the terrorists from stealing the nation’s nuclear launch codes. There are four books in this series.

This 24 page nonfiction book is very informative for children to determine if a Dalmation is a proper dog for them.  It is filled with color photographs that are relevent to the information on the pages. It covers a large range of information from a Dalmation’s appearance, health and care, exercise and training, attitude and intelligence, purchasing a Dalmation, history and more. This books has a table of contents, and glossary.

Buddy is a Golden Retriever that was taken in by an elementary principal as a therepy dog for students. One day, while listening to a young girl read to him in the library, Buddy spotted a monster. This monster was quite small, had a blue tongue and was quick to hide! By listening to students read books, Buddy learns that the monster is a Blue-Tongued Skink. With determination, Buddy sets off to capture the Blue-Tongued Skink and crack the case of how it got in the school!

Zach Harriman never knew his dad was a super hero until his father died, and slowly Zach gained super powers. Zach seems to be drawn to an assortment of troubles, such as having to get out of bed in the night to walk to the park, only to intercept an attack on a woman.  Out of the blue, an old man appears and attempts to give him guidance with his newly found powers. But his dad’s best friend tells Zach not to trust the old man. In this book, Zach learns who he can and can’t trust as he takes on a whole new responsibility of hero.

Pirates are a favorite among middle grade kids, with Jack Sparrow and his crew topping the list.  But Treasure Island is the source material and a great adventure as well.  Michael Foreman adds to the classic tale of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver his beautiful illustrations.  Each image brings detail and atmosphere to the text.  The large format book is a little difficult to read, as the pages are so wide and the lines of text consequently long.  But the large size allows the illustrations truly to shine.

Treasure Island is in the public domain, and free downloads and old copies are easy to find.  But Michael Foreman’s Treasure Island may invite new readers to begin their own voyage from the Admiral Benbow Inn.  This volume could make a perfect readaloud.

Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg played for the Detroit Tigers before WWII and experienced anti-Semitism both on the field and off.  He was born to Romanian Jewish immigrants and began playing pro at the age of 19.  Known as the “Jewish Babe Ruth,” he helped the Tigers win the World Series and was voted American League MVP in 1935.  In 1941, Greenberg joined the Air Force, but returned to a successful ball career in 1945, winning the World Series again.

Taunted on the field by players and spectators, Greenberg knew prejudice first hand.  With the rise of Hitler and the world at war, Greenberg’s life is set against a backdrop of political and cultural anti-Semitism.

Sommer’s writing is accessible and interesting.  Most pages include black and white photos, mainly from team promotions.  The paper is thin and feels like newsprint.  Bibliography, index, and further resources are provided at the end, along with Hank Greenberg’s fantasy all-star line-up.

The Islands of the Blessed is the conclusion of the series that began with The Sea of Trolls.  Jack and Thorgil continue their adventures, when the safety of home is threatened by the arrival of a monster.  Accompanying the wise Bard, apprentice Jack and shield maiden Thorgil travel in search of mermaids after calling up a sea hag with a magical bell.  Thorgil is reunited with her Viking kin, while Jack loses contact with his family.  They travel to towns near and far, the land of the fin folk, an island ruled each night by the destructive rage of murdered men, and finally, the Islands of the Blessed.

Fascinating references to medieval Britain abound, and readers will laugh at the antics of the uncouth Vikings.  Readers who love deep fantasy laced with Nordic and Celtic mythology will dive into this trilogy, but the later titles do not stand alone.