WEEK 7 RESPONSES

Reading response 1 - Fantasy/Science Fiction and Mystery/Adventure

BOOK 1: TURNAGE, Sheila. Three Times Lucky. 320p. The Penguin Group. May. 2012. Tr $9.99. ISBN 9780803736702



"Macon Johnson.. found a newborn girl at the edge of Contentnea Creek last Tuesday while helping a man who had wrecked in the hurricane". This baby, Moses LoBeau (Bo for short), now a rising six-grader, quick-witted, funny, and in constant search of her "upstream mother", leaves no stone unturned as she seeks to solve the mystery of her origins to complete her autobiography. The family that took Mo in, the eccentric Colonel and the lovely Miss Lana, have their own mysteries too: no one knows much about the colonel. In a small town, where everyone is into everyone else's business, secrets seem to hide at every corner.  Using the mysterious origins of the main protagonist, family secrets, strange characters in town, and a murder, Sheila Turnage has created a tense situation that begs to be solved. Set against the background of southern small-town secrets and charms, the story follows Mo and her best friend Dale and how through their mystery-solving adventures they slowly start to understand themselves, their family, and their community. The author keeps the reader hooked and interested with humor and wit tainted with the Southern flavor, discoveries, and that unmistakable small-town secret dynamic. The novel is narrated in the first person, and from Mo’s perspective. As Mo discovers secrets, so does the reader. The Map of Tupelo Landing is included and gives the novel an interactive perspective. The writing is warm and Young readers in 8 to 12 grades, with a sense of humor who can appreciate Mo’s sarcasm will enjoy this plot and be drawn into this mystery.



BOOK 2: SMITH, Leitich Cynthia. Sisters of the Never Sea. 320p. HarperCollins. June. 2021. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780062869975

 

Lily and Wendy are stepsisters who have managed to become best friends. This summer, a change in their family situation means they will become separated. Would their friendship survive this separation? These are the premises that Cynthia Leitich Smith uses to write this retelling of the Peter Pan Story in which characters are of mixed ancestry Muscogee Creek and White and themes such as divorce, a high-paying job in New York City, native pride, gender equity, and environmentalism are explored. But the story also retains its originality with characters such as fairies, pirates, a giant crocodile, Belle, Peter Pan, and the strong love that binds the little ones who fear for their lives. Children aged 9 to 12 who love fantasy will appreciate this fantasy book.

Comments

  1. Jen CJune 23, 2024 at 12:45 PM

    Good content here. Either could be developed into a strong review.

    ReplyDelete

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