GILDA JOYCE PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR: A Mystery by Jennifer Allison

Ghosts, Humor, Suicide, Families, Friendship, Mysteries and Detective Stories

321 pages.

Description

"Seeing an opportunity to use her psychic abilities, Gilda Joyce invites herself to San Francisco, where she visits her uncle and cousin, Juliet, communicates with the ghost in their old Victorian house, and learns family secrets." (Follett)

From the Publisher

"Ever since her father died, quirky Gilda Joyce has been working hard to sharpen her psychic skills. She's determined to communicate with spirits from the Other Side and become a crack investigator of spooky, twisted mysteries. After wrangling an invitation to visit relatives in San Francisco, Gilda discovers that her dreary, tight-lipped uncle and his strange, delicate daughter need her help to uncover the terrible family secret that has a tortured ghost stalking their home. From poignant to hair-raising and hilarious, this is a behind-the-scenes, tell-all account of the very first case in the illustrious career of Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator."

My Comments

I was surprised by the serious threads of death and suicide in this otherwise humorous book. Allison deftly addresses grief and loneliness in a quirky, funny girl. It is not a difficult read for middle school. Good to know, however, the issues it addresses. Well done.

THE ALCHEMYST by Michael Scott

Action-Adventure, Fantasy-Magic, Occult, Mythology, Mystery

375 pages.

Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (series)
"Fifteen-year-old twins, Sophie and Josh, find themselves caught up in the deadly struggle between rival alchemists, Nicholas Flamel and John Dee, over the possession of an ancient book that holds the secret formulas for alchemy and everlasting life." (Follett)

From the Publisher:
"Nicholas Flamel appeared in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter--but did you know he really lived? And he might still be alive today! 

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330.
The legend: Nicholas Flamel discovered the secret of eternal life.
The records show that he died in 1418.
But his tomb is empty.
Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries.
The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects--the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true. And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time."

Order of Books
The Alchemyst
The Magician
The Sorceress
The Necromancer
The Warlock
The Enchantress

My Comments
Excellent! Give this to fans of Harry Potter and Rick Riordan. Couldn't put it down although sometimes I thought the characters got into lengthy conversations during moments of crisis which didn't seem believable even in a fantasy! Otherwise fabulous!

REFUGEE by Alan Gratz

Survival, Holocaust, Courage, Family, Immigration
Historical Fiction
338 pages

From the publisher:
"JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . .
ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America . . .
MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe . . .
All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers -- from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.

This action-packed novel tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home."

My Comments
These stories are primarily targeted to the middle school audience although the material could easily be used in high school. The juxtaposition of the three lives drives home the common experience of heartbreak, loss, and great courage faced by refugees throughout time and country. Highly recommended.

WISHTREE by Katherine Applegate

Kindness, Friendship, Hope, Animals, Nature

256 pages

Starred reviews

From the Publisher

"The New York Times-bestselling story of kindness, friendship, and hope.

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"--people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this "wishtree" watches over the neighborhood.

You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.

Funny, deep, warm, and nuanced, Wishtree is Newbery Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author Katherine Applegate at her very best--writing from the heart, and from a completely unexpected point of view.

This book has Common Core connections."

 My comments

Loved, loved, loved this book! It conveys messages of love and respect for all living things in a story that is beautiful in its simplicity. The world needs this book!

 

TEN DAYS A MADWOMAN by Deborah Noyes

The Daring Life and Turbulent times of the Original "Girl" Reporter: Nellie Bly

Biography, Narrative Nonfiction, Nellie Bly

136 pages with illustrations

From the publisher: 

"Young Nellie Bly had ambitious goals, especially for a woman at the end of the nineteenth century, when the few female journalists were relegated to writing columns about cleaning or fashion. But fresh off a train from Pittsburgh, Nellie knew she was destined for more and pulled a major journalistic stunt that skyrocketed her to fame: feigning insanity, being committed to the notorious asylum on Blackwell's Island, and writing a shocking expose of the clinic's horrific treatment of its patients.

Nellie Bly became a household name as the world followed her enthralling career in "stunt" journalism that raised awareness of political corruption, poverty, and abuses of human rights. Leading an uncommonly full life, Nellie circled the globe in a record seventy-two days and brought home a pet monkey before marrying an aged millionaire and running his company after his death.

With its sensational (and true!) plot, Ten Days a Madwoman dares its readers to live as boldly as its remarkable heroine."

My Comments

Nellie Bly's courage and determination make for a riveting and inspirational story that does not end with the famous story of how she managed to get herself checked into the insane asylum on Blackwell Island to cover the miserable conditions of women inmates.

The only criticism I have is that the layout is a bit confusing with parallel stories interjected on a blue background. Otherwise, highly recommended!