Great Reads

Karen Inglis has hit another home run with the 2nd book in her Secret Lake series!! Once more, middle grade readers will embrace this time travel venture between today and the early 20th century. Motivated by a serious emergency concerning her best friend Emma, Lucy travels to the future to seek help from 21st century pals Stella and Tom. And there begins a suspenseful, thrilling race against the clock. To succeed these kids from different centuries step up with teamwork, loyalty, compassion, and determination. It’s a delight to experience the future through Lucy’s eyes relative to her world more than a hundred years earlier. The reverse is equally charming when Stella and Tom travel back with Lucy to help Emma and also visit Tom’s friend Jack, whereby they encounter another nail-biting, history-making challenge. Inglis does a great job folding in these non-fiction events and discoveries that add an effective educational aspect to this most entertaining story. Highly recommend this grand 5-Star adventure!

I want to share with you a book that is perfect for kids or grandkids. The Secret Lake by British author Karen Inglis is a wonderful middle grade mystery with the added magical element of time travel. Determined to discover the disappearances of their neighbor’s dog, Stella and Tom investigate and land in the middle of their neighborhood, but almost 100 years ago. Making friends and enemies, they must discover the connections between the past and present in order to completely solve the mystery. It’s an enchanting page-turning novel that I recommend highly.

Theodore Boone: The Abduction is definitely an age-appropriate middle grade mystery, where the protagonist is old enough to be pushing the boundaries toward independence but remains involved with the caring guidance of his parents. When his best friend disappears, he first uses deduction to consider whether or not she’s been kidnapped, murdered, or has left her dysfunctional family. And then with his uncle’s assistance, the time comes to take action and find out which. A terrific book for readers 8-12!

Witnessing the kidnapping of their neighbor's pregnant dog launches Abby and best friend Bee into their next mystery. Calling themselves "Force & Force Investigations" (yes, the girls identical last names have to do with their shared history from long ago), Abby drags Bee into a search of the area by horseback. A gruesome discovery (not the dog) pitches them into the middle of a serious crime that's tied to that shared history. Numerous times it appears they run out of luck and find themselves in dire, live-or-die circumstances. Somehow these two girls always manage to come up with a plan, even though they expect to be grounded big-time for not heeding their elders. Loved re-entering the world of Felony Bay and these two can-do girls from Force & Force Investigations. To check it out for yourself, click here! http://amzn.to/2BlTLOH

I missed out on this book as a child, and how delightful to enjoy it as an adult and share it with young readers. The peaceful outcome of the story is a refreshing pause in a world that lately seems anything but peaceful. The drawings by Robert Lawson are exquisite! To pick up a copy to enjoy after the movie, click here! http://amzn.to/2yCgu6R

Abbey Force is the Nancy Drew of the S. Carolina low country. When the story begins, she has had a terrible year -- her father's in a coma and framed for a serious crime; her family's Reward Plantation had to be sold to pay back his debts; she's had to live with her father's ne-er do well brother; and there's mysterious digging and No Trespass signs by Felony Bay. Her first priority is to clear her father's name. With the help of the daughter of Reward Plantation's new owner (the two become best friends), Abbey hopes to solve the mystery at Felony Bay. She's a wonderful force of nature, who refuses to give up even when things look hopeless. We can all learn from Abbey's resiliency. Highly recommend. To check out this book for yourself, click here!