The Bookbag, Books for ages 8 to 12, March/April 2007

Without further ado, here are some of our favorites for Tweeners.

Extreme Monsters Series. The Extreme Team is a group of teen monsters who are into Extreme Sports. Their interest in competition is matched by a strong sense of fair play. Each of the volumes in this series offers adventure and life lessons teens will enjoy. You'll also find puzzles and related activities to engage the reader, too. "These stories have all the action and vocabulary that pre-teens and teens will love. It is the type of book that can inspire reluctant readers or remedial readers to give reading another chance." Here are the titles.

#1 The Blue Moon Effect
#2 What's With Wulf
#3 Meet Mr. Hydeous

Frederick Douglass: Young Defender of Human Rights by Elisabeth P. Myers. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1818. Determined to be a free man, he took advantage of every opportunity to develop the skills necessary to be free. He learned to read and write, caulk ships, become an educator, public speaker, and journalist and newspaper editor. He dedicated his life to banishing slavery in the United States. He was one of the most distinguished leaders of the anti-slavery crusade in the nineteenth century. This is a biographical history for independent readers. "Like all of the other books in this series, the story, illustrations, writing, editing, and topics are all geared to the 8-12 year old. One cannot find a more wholesome and informative biographical series." (Patria Press, 2007)

Myth of the Summer Moon by Steve Reed and Aaron Reed. "In the Summer of 1936, the days were full of farm chores for the Christofis girls and their neighbors the Brownings. Still, there was plenty of time to grow friendships. One night, when three local boys got drunk and launched a brutal attack on Jimmy Browning and Helena Christofis, the depth of their faith and understanding of friendship were truly tested. Modern social circumstances and Greek legend are woven into a story for teens about generosity, sacrifice, courage, and prejudice. "This was a page turner of the first order. As I was reading, I kept peeking ahead to see what happened next. The author crafted a wonderful story. Although there are strong Christian undertones, the book weaves a story that all teens can enjoy, as the characters and their circumstances are somewhat universal." (Baker Tritten Press, 2006)

Penelope and Priscilla and the City of the Banished by Jennifer Troulis. Summer is finally here and the twins are ready for some fun. While Priscilla is eager to learn more about their magical powers; Penelope would rather be shopping. But life is about change, and the Twins learn that they are destined to make a positive change for their community. But they need to do it together. "This series is growing into a page turner. This second book has the character depth and suspense that keep you wanting more." (Twin Monkeys Press, 2007)


SOMETHING NEW FOR THE BOOKBAG ...

Just in case you don't read about books for ages 4 to 8, we want to introduce you to Just One More Book. JOMB is a website offering podcasts about great books to share with kids. From here on out, we will have a link to one of JOMB's favorite books in every bookbag. This month it's (drum roll, please) ...

Soul Force and Spice Cake: The Call to Shakabaz by Amy Wachspress (Woza Books, 2007)

Be sure to stop by, listen, and let Andrea and Mark know how much you appreciate their insight! And tell them that you just came from the Tub.

The Bookbag, Books for ages 8 to 12, March/April 2007

http://thereadingtub.blogspot.com/2007/04/bookbag-books-for-ages-8-to-12.html