Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House, No. 1) by Mary Pope Osborne

 

Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House Series, Book #1) by Mary Pope Osborne

Target Audience: Age Range: 6 - 9 years, Grade Level: 1 - 4

Summary from Amazon.com:
Jack and Annie's very first fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series—the Magic Tree House!  Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark . . . or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?

Review: Here's another series book off the shelve that I'm ashamed to say I've never read. Both my children have devoured this series but by the time I found this series they were reading independently. The stories are simple yet adventurous and the illustrations will appeal to a younger audience. The stories feature a boy and girl, Jack and Annie, which makes the series appeal to a wider audience. I've especially seen students up to grade 8 who arrive from other countries picking this series up as an easy-to- read, lower vocabulary, only 80 pages, yet interesting story they can enhance their reading skills with. Otherwise I'd recommend the series to both boys and girls in younger grades (1 - 3)

Coming Home (Heartland #1) by Lauren Brooke

 

Coming Home (Book #1 of the Heartland Series) by Lauren Brooke


Target Audience: Age Range: 9 - 12 years, Grade Level: 4 - 7
Summary:
Heartland is a horse farm with the special mission of healing abused or neglected horses and finding them new homes. Fifteen-year-old Amy works alongside her talented mother, a gifted horse trainer who uses techniques similar to those of the trainer in The Horse Whisperer. While rescuing an abandoned stallion in a thunderstorm, Amy's mother is killed when a falling tree hits their car, and everything at Heartland--and everything in Amy's life--is thrown into turmoil. Amy's older sister, Lou, leaves her job to come to Heartland to help, and Amy begins to cope with the new circumstances of her life, relying on her work with her beloved horses to help her face the future without her mom.

Review: Another book off the shelf at the library! This series has been on my "should read" list for a while. I am one of those girls who grew up loving horses but the first of this series came out in June of 2000, well after my childhood years. I found this well-loved book among our shelves and couldn't resist finally having a chance to read it. I immediately appreciated the technical knowledge of horse-training used in the story. Amy's mom uses horse behavioral techniques I've seen Monty Roberts, a real horse whisperer, using at horse show demonstrations. It gave the book a authentic feel that fellow 'horse nuts' will appreciate. The main character, Amy, overcomes many personal struggles like the loss of her mother in a car accident and her fear of losing the farm she loves. She also struggles with the relationship she has with her practical older sister, Lou, who shows up after the funeral to get the affairs of the farm in order. Girls who like the "Saddle Club" series will enjoy following the realistic, slightly more mature, storyline of this series. I may have to find book 2 myself to see what happens next!

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes #1) by Anne Mazer

Target Audience: Age Range: 8 - 12 years, Grade Level: 3 - 7

Summary: Abby Hayes is a fun and quirky fifth grader looking to find her own "super-special" talent. Squeezed between two outstanding older siblings and her protégé brother, Abby is determined to make her mark. She takes solace in the words of inspiration from the 73 calendars she has in her room, and records the quotes in her purple notebook. Kids will love Abby's humorous and hip approach to everyday issues

Review: I thought it might be nice to look at a few of the older series that we have on our library shelve. The Abby Hayes series started with "Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining in 2000 and continued through a dozen more adventures. Abby herself is a likeable character (Sometimes a little too up-beat and squeaky clean for some middle-schoolers). She is trying so hard to find her special place in a family of over-achievers. Written in journal form and cleverly illustrated; these stories should appeal to younger girls who are starting to make the transition from easy-readers to a longer chapter book.