Most of you know I have a book club with my boys and since Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I’d tell you what books we’re reading, in case you have kids that like to read on your Christmas list.
Right now, with my nine-year-old, we’re reading The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angelberger. It’s a fun story about a kid who isn’t exactly popular, and he starts talking to his friends through this finger puppet he makes in the shape of Yoda. But Yoda starts to do all these amazing things and so they write a case file about it. It has some truly laugh out loud moments and we can’t wait to read the sequel, Darth Paper Strikes Back. Here’s the back copy for both of them.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.
Darth Paper Strikes Back
It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda–related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a “troublemaker.” Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file—one that will show how Dwight’s presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as “Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener,” “Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels,” and “Origami Yoda and Wonderland: The Musical.” But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent . . .
We've also been reading the How to Train Your Dragon series, which is a lot different than the movie and we've really enjoyed it.
The other books I’ve been reading with my thirteen-year-old is the Alex Rider books. It’s a fun series with the fourteen-year-old Alex being pulled into a secret agent life by MI6 after his parents are killed. The plots are fast-paced and really fun and I enjoyed how the author folds in the plot with the life of a teen.
We also are starting Brandon Mull’s new series, The Beyonders--World Without Heroes. We enjoyed his Fablehaven series and are excited about this one as well.
There are definitely a lot of great books out there for any boys on your Christmas list. Let me know if you have any other suggestions for our reading club! (And for under the tree Christmas morning.)
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
4 comments:
My second son does not usually like to read, but he really enjoyed the Alcatraz books by Brandon Sanderson, and the Skulduggery Pleasant books by Derek Landy.
I personally am reading the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, just for fun. Good steampunk adventure!
I . . . have nothing to add to this post. So . . . hi, Julie! Hey, Melanie! Merry Christmas, all!
I love to hear that boys are reading. Thank you for getting them interested. Perhaps it will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
I did a post about this a couple months ago and the comments were excellent. Here's the link in case anyone is interested:
http://www.rebeccahjamison.com/search/label/books%20for%20boys
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