Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson

 Anthony Joplin is a card playing fool, but it runs in his family.  His grandfather was a spades champion; his dad is a spades champion, and his brother is a spades champion.  To be a Joplin man, you have to be a great spades player.  In spades, you have to have a good partner to win, but they play in class one day and get beaten by a GIRL.  His confidence is really shaken, and he is not sure what to do.  Then, his partner is grounded and cannot be his partner any longer.  What will he do?

Then, he wonders...this girl that beat him is a good spades player.  What would happen if they team up together?  Would he be a real Joplin man if he has a girl for a partner?  Will he be able to handle the pressures of what is going on at home and still bring home the championship?

Find out in Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson.

I enjoyed reading this book.  Anthony, Ant for short, is a great character, and I found myself really rooting for him to figure things out.  I wasn't the only one rooting for Ant, but I won't say more on that.  No spoilers here.  Ant is only ten years old in the book, but he thinks much older.  He is tired of people treating him like a little kid--even though by age, he is a little kid.  I highly recommend this book.  Hope you will enjoy reading it.

Here is a video with Varian Johnson telling about this book.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs

One day, Charlie was hanging out minding her own business when her brother walks in and tells her that he needs her help.  In fact, her country needs her help.  Charlie thinks he is being a bit dramatic, but she decides to listen to what he has to say.

Charlie is your average 12 year old genius.  She is a brilliant mathematician and a true Einstein aficionado or expert about Albert Einstein.  And, her knowledge about Albert Einstein makes her the person for the job--really the only person for the job.

Rumor has it that Einstein had one more equation that if in the right hands would be more dangerous than the equation used to make the atomic bomb.  And, the FBI has intel that the equation is about to fall into the wrong hands.  Hands that would indeed make the bomb and use it against the rest of the world.

Charlie must figure out where the equation is and how to keep it out of anyone's hands.  Can she do it and save the world?  Find out in Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation.

I really liked this book.  It is a suspenseful mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat.

If you would like to see more about this title, watch this book trailer.

#WOWWednesday #LoneStarBooks #Mystery

The Brave by James Bird

There are a couple of things that you want to know about Collin before you read his story.  

First, he has a condition in which he counts all of the letters of the sentences that people say to him.  So, if you say, "Hi, Collin!"  He cannot help himself.  He will say 8 before he says anything else.  You can imagine that this is a challenge for him as he talks to different people who are not always kind about his innate need to say the number before responding. 

Second, Collin lives with his dad.  He doesn't know his mom or anything about his mom's family.

So...when he gets expelled from school and his dad is also having a hard time personally, it is decided that Collin will go to live with his mom.

Collin's mom is a Native American woman and lives on a reservation.  The family and the life that he encounters on the reservation is very different from what he is used to.  Will he be able to adapt to life with his mom?  What will happen with his friendship with the girl next door?

Find out in this week's WOW Wednesday book--The Brave by James Bird

I really enjoyed this book.  Collin's story gave me a window into what it is like to have a condition that people do not understand fully.  This story truly made me appreciate the power of kindness, patience and understanding.  If only we could all be as wise as Collin's grandmother...but you will find out more about her when you read this story.  I highly recommend it. 

If you like to watch book trailers, here is one put together by the publisher of The Brave.

WOW Wednesday is BACK

 To make sure that our students knew about books in our online platform, I began sending out a book suggestion on Wednesdays.  With so much clever thought, I titled it WOW Wednesdays.  Every Wednesday--or very close to Wednesday, I would send it out to our students and staff.  

Then, as time went on, I stopped sending out those recommendations.  But, I read some good books over the break, and I want to share them.  So, I am bringing it back.  And, if you look at past posts, I haven't posted here in some time.  It's time to bring both of them back.  

To that end, I will post the recommendations here every Wednesday.  I might also post some other things as well.  

One great book that I read over the break is going to be our first WOW Wednesday of 2022.

This story is about Cooper and Jess.  They are brother and sister, and as many brothers and sisters--they get ANNOYED with each other.  Cooper is especially annoyed with Jess.

But, Cooper is especially annoyed with everyone and everything because his dad is not around, and he just found out that his dad and new wife are having a baby.  

So, when Jess shows Cooper some news articles about an unsolved mystery, he is--you guessed it, annoyed.  Until...he looks at the insignia on a boy's jacket in one of the pictures.  He has seen it somewhere before.  Oh, it is on the jacket of the girl next door.  This girl that just stares at Cooper and annoys him.  But, maybe there is something sinister going on.  Why would this insignia be on her jacket and a boy's jacket in a news article that is over 100 years old?  How are they connected?  Will they figure it out before something bad happens?

Find out in The In-Between by Rebecca K. S. Ansari.  

If you would like to read this book, we have it in the library.  Stop by and get it to read today. You will NOT be sorry.

If you like videos, here is a book trailer that I found.