Good Reads {March 2016}

It's no secret that we love books in our house. We visit the library multiple times a week, even in the school year, and all four of us are constantly reading, reading, reading. Some of us read and walk, some of us try to read when it's mealtime, and all of us read before bed.

Here are a few of our family's favorite reads from March, many of which are middle-grade novels:

After You by JoJo Moyes
Almost everyone I know is reading this book, the sequel to the massively popular Me Before You, which I read in February when I was sick with strep throat and couldn't muster the energy to get off the couch! Grab your box of tissues and find a chunk of time to read, because once you start reading, you'll be drawn into Lou's world and you won't want to put either of these books down.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
This middle-grade novel won the Newberry Award in 1979 and was one of our school's book club selections in March. The story is a bit like a game of Clue -- which of the 16 residents of the Sunset Towers has murdered Mr. Westing? The game is afoot!

Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Will chose this for his classic book report for his reading class, and really enjoyed reading the mysteries. He chose "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet" for his book report.

Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
This is another sequel. Will and I both read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library last year and loved it. Like The Westing Game, the book is packed with puzzles and clues as middle school contestants compete in a Library Olympics. Although I don't think it's as good as the first, it's an entertaining read.

The Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Another middle-grade novel packed full of games and puzzles, this was the second book chosen for our school's book club. It's a mystery full of ciphers and book references, perfect for book lovers!

The Six by Mark Alpert
I haven't read this book yet, but Will picked it up at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. and couldn't put it down. Geared more for older students, this is a sci-fi adventure about a rogue robot (Sigma) and the six teens who have to stop it.

Spies, Patriots and Traitors: American Intelligence in the Revolutionary War by Kenneth A. Daigler
Gene is working his way through this history of spies during the American Revolution. He picked it up at the International Spy Museum and reports that it is a fascinating history written by a former CIA agent, who offers a unique perspective on the subject matter.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London
One of the fifth grade teachers saw Will reading and walking down the hall one afternoon, and grabbed him and loaned him her copy of The Call of the Wild. It took Will some time to read it (mostly because of other reading commitments) but in the end, he really enjoyed this classic adventure about the heroic dog Buck who must survive in the wilds of Alaska.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Henry made it halfway through book six of the series last year, and is once again devouring them this spring. We had a Harry Potter emergency when we realized that our copy of the second book had a broken binding and all the copies were checked out of the school library. Book problems = emergency trip to Barnes and Noble for a replacement copy!

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
Henry is obsessed with this graphic novel series about two children who are trying to find their mother in a dark, mysterious world.

What have you read lately? We love recommendations!