A book a night?

I'm trying! Unfortunately, in the last few days I have blown through a couple that were a bit too old for our 5-10 year olds, but no reading is really wasted, right?

Up first is Raiders' Ransom, a romping adventure tale from our globally-warmed future. I suppose it's dystopian, but honestly everyone seems to be having a pretty grand time, despite the murderous raiders that kill old grannies just to watch them die. The two main characters take turns telling the story from opposing points of view, a device that author Emily Diamond handles masterfully. Switching back and forth this way could have been jarring, but instead is weirdly invisible. The characters are just right - smart, headstrong, complex and conflicted - and their every move feels pre-ordained (in a good way.) Best character in the book? A wise and fiercely loyal cat, who I loved and coveted throughout. Unfortunately for me, there's a long (and funny) 'drunken' episode, as well as an equally long (and absolutely terrifying) 'torture' scene, which two passages make this book out of my age range. But I heartily recommend it for ages 12-up.

I also read Snow Treasure this week, which I can predict will be a hit with certain 4th grade boys that I know. The story, which may or may not be true (probably not, frankly, but I'm grabbing onto the slim chance that it is, since that will be a great selling point), is that a village full of children in Norway successfully smuggle out 13 tons of gold bullion in the early days of the Nazi occupation. It's basically Hardy Boys meets Gary Paulsen, and despite the at-times clunky writing I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to recommending it to a few kids next week.

AND on Tuesday I finished Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, which I was really awed by. It's a novel-length fairytale (reminded me a bit of Lynne Reid Banks Farthest-Away Mountain) about a girl who wants to improve the fortunes of her parents and neighbors. Throughout the action, characters periodically tell "folktales" (in quotes, because I'm not sure if the stories told are actually authentic folktales, or were written by Lin) that move the action along. The plot is engaging, and the resolution is satisfying, but the great underlying lesson is what really got me - STORIES are important.

Enough for now! We are still slogging through Uncle Albert, though I'm itching to move onto Any Which Wall. I think I'll try to power through Miracles on Maple Hill tonight after the kids are in bed.