Jack is a collector of junk. He loves to go through trash to find something strange. One day he finds a book titled Favorite Turnip Recipes of the World in a box of his neighbors left out on the curb with the garbage when they moved. He puts it away and doesn’t think about it again until his neighbor comes back in a panic because he has lost something. It turns out that the turnip book is actually a handbook for parents. The kids discover this and turn the tables on the parents. Will the parents find the handbook or will the kids continue to trick their parents into no more rules.

This book would appeal to readers who like action and books that challenge authority. The ending wraps up quickly and seems forced especially since each group is so passionate about being correct.

It is spirit week and the fifth grades have been divided into Team Red and Team Blue. Best friends George and Lily have been designated as captains for the two teams. George does not want to be captain, but does not want to let down his team. The competitive Lily is sure that her team will win. The two teams want to win at all cost. With slimed lockers, sabotaged costumes and then a canceled spirit week, will spirit weeks destroy their friendship? Will the fifth grade continue to be seen as the worst class to come through the school?

After reading my first Ghost Detectors  series book, #21- All Dolled Up!, I am thinking this series is a rival for the Goose Bumps series.

Our two main characters, Malcolm and Dandy (Daniel Dee) have just received a written invitation from one of their mean substitute teachers to comes to her house. The invitation reads, “Dear Malcolm and Dandy, I heard about what you boys did. Please, come to my house as soon as you get this note! I have a chore for you.  Sincerely, Ms. Porter” (8)

Ms. Porter’s house is full of dolls everywhere you  look. When the boys sit down, Ms. Porter goes for tea and cookies. After Dandy sneezes, the dolls attack him where he sits on the couch.  Ms. Porter comes back and says, ” ‘ I see you’ve met my ghost.’ ” (18) Ms. Porter wants the boys to get rid of the ghost.

The boys leave to get their equipment. While at Malcolm’s house, they run into great Grandma Eunice, the only family member who knows they are ghost detectors. Grandma Eunice decides this is a good time to give Malcolm his birthday present early, a bottle of Poltergeist Popper spray from the Sci.con. Then off they go back to Ms. Potter’s house.  As Malcolm and Dandy start their job, they are not detecting any ghosts, but when they try to leave the doors shut and lock. Dolls start screaming. Upstairs the boys get separated when Dandy sneezes and are locked in separate rooms. In Malcolm’s room, spiders pour out of a doll house. Malcolm tries the Poltergeist Popper. A blinding light is emitted. Blinding Malcolm. The Poltergeist Popper seems to unlock the doors.  Dandy gets hold of Malcolm and leads him downstairs. As Malcolm regains his vision, a giant stuffed bear roars and charges them. The boys leave the house to get more equipment.

Grandma Eunice gives them sunglasses to protect their eyes from the Poltergeist Popper and has them dress up in black suits (Men in Black). Grandma Eunice has Malcolm and Dandy push her in her wheelchair over to Ms. Porter’s house. Together they locate the one doll the ghost is upset over. The one doll (Little Cutie) that was the ghost’s one and only doll as a child. The ghost is upset because Ms. Porter does not love Little Cutie as she does/did.  To Ms. Porter, it is just another doll.  The ghost will leave when her special childhood Little Cutie doll is given a special loving new home. The ghost leaves when she discovers Grandma Eunice has always wanted a Little Cutie doll. Ms. Porter will find it a small price to pay for Malcolm and Dandy’s getting rid of her ghost.

After the story, there are four thought provoking  tie-in questions to the story.

There is one half-page to full-page illustration per chapter.

In this wordless graphic novel, little Andrew is seen through a window drawing a picture of a purple blob of a monster by the purple monster himself. Slowly Andrew discovers he is being watched by the monster. Andrew puts on his pith helmet, grabs his butterfly net, and leaves his house in search of the monster in the woods. The purple blob is a master of disguise and camouflage. The purple blob is watching Andrew the entire time. After quite a while, Andrew gets discouraged and throws a fit all the way back home. Purple blob feels sad for Andrew. The next day when Andrew opens his front door, there is the pith helmet and net he left in the woods. Looking up, Andrew sees the blob as he walks out of view. Feeling reinvigorated, Andrew eagerly sets off once again with his pith helmet and net into the woods.

This wordless book shows the amount of story telling talent it takes to develop a comprehensive graphic novel.

Just as Hotel Strange finishes preparing for the winter season, the hotel clerk, Mr. Snarf, is arrested by police from his home world- The Land of Ghosts- up above the clouds.

The hotel staff build a hot air balloon to rescue Mr. Snarf. They are soon arrested too, when they discover everything fun or interesting is illegal in the Land of Ghosts. Mr. Leclair asks his jailers for the “Rulebook of Ghosts”, which he reads the night before their trial. Mr. Leclair discovers the Rainbow Rule. None of the counsel or judge know of it because the rulebook’s pages were stuck together. The Rainbow Rule states, ” It is forbidden to forbid!” They are free to go.

Mr. Snarf and his friends leave a much happier Land of Ghosts since discovering the Rainbow Rule.

There is a recipe for caramels at the end of the book.

Being the new kid at school can be hard, if not difficult, but it does not help when you tell the class your last school was one for geniuses. Khufu Grundy is the new kid in Gavin’s class at Carver Elementary School. Khufu does not make it easy to get to know him. He sits off by himself at recess and reads.

Gavin and his friends are being allowed to ride their bikes to school. This is a first for Gavin. In his excitement, Gavin forgot his bike lock at home. Gavin leaves his bike unlocked with the rest of his friends locked bikes. Gavin’s bike is still there at recess, but when Gavin goes to the bike rack after school, his bike is gone.

Gavin’s parents will not be replacing the bike. Gavin will have to earn money to buy a new one, but his father says he will match the money Gavin saves.

Surprisingly, the next morning at school there is a bike very similar to Gavin’s in the bike rack, spray-painted an ugly orange. Could it be Gavin’s bike in disguise? After school Gavin sees Khufu ride off on it.

Later, Gavin and his friends come up with a plan to get the bike back from Khufu. Take it back, (steal it back) early on Saturday morning before anyone is awake. When Gavin’s parents find out what they have done, his parents make Gavin return the bike. That is when Gavin and friend, Richard learn the bike has been painted orange because in reality it was a girl’s pink bike given to Khufu’s father by a neighbor.

After these terrible mistakes, the book ends with the rectifying of another mistake. The previous week a 5th grade boy had gone home from school ill in the middle of the day. Later that day, his father had picked up Gavin’s bike outside the school thinking it was his 5th grade son’s bike because  the bikes were the same color and style. Now the father was returning Gavin’s bike to him.

Believably realistic!

Meet Cute consists of fourteen short stories featuring “how they first met” tales from contemporary YA authors. Four of the love stories feature LGBTQ couples. Authors featured include Jennifer Armentrout, Dhonielle Clayton, Katie Cotugno, Jocelyn Davies, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Nina LaCour, Emery Lord, Katharine McGee, Kass Morgan, Julie Murphy, Meredith Russo, Sara Shepard, Nicola Yoon, and Ibi Zoboi.

It is refreshing to find a collection of contemporary YA short stories. Some are funny, others are heartbreaking. All will please teen readers of romance.

Three kids go on a spooky ghost hunt traveling down a bumpy hill, crossing a wiggly bridge, following a twisty path, until they eventually come to a scary house and see a GHOST! They quickly back-track their way all the way to the safety of their home, but the ghost follows them! Questions to check comprehension and higher level thinking can be found on each page spread. Bright, colorful illustrations enhance this cute story.

The three pigs were forced to leace the comfort of their home when their owners moved away to Florida. So each one built their houses as the traditional tale is told. All the while, the hungry wolf is unable to order food at the local fast food joints, so he decides to blow down all the pigs houses, until the wolf cannot blow down the house of bricks. The pigs feel so badly for the wolf that they ask him to join them for dinner. Questions to check comprehension and higher level thinking can be found on each page spread. Bright, colorful illustrations enhance this cute story.

After the little bear plays outside in the snow, it is time for bed. A sequence of affection occurs from a wave, to a smile, to a tickle, until finally a kiss goodnight from his mama. Questions to check comprehension and higher level thinking can be found on each page spread. Bright, colorful illustrations enhance this cute story.