Today, I will be writing about the Lee Road Library. It is the library that I normally go to, and it has some really cool features. Hopefully, if you’re ever around, you decide to check it out.
When you walk into the library, on the left, there is a small area with some shelves of both fiction and nonfiction books and a couple chairs. If you continue forward and then turn left, you enter the children’s section. It is a lovely place. The walls are painted with a mural of a lot of famous children’s books, ranging from Goodnight Moon to Anne of Green Gables. There is a small aquarium, a few places to sit and read, and a play area for younger kids. If you turn right instead of left, you see the teen section and the audio visual section (where things such as movies and video games are housed). If you head up the stairs, you come to the adult section. There are computers that you can use, along with printers and copiers. There are also meeting rooms that you can reserve, and, of course, many shelves of books. In addition, there are comfortable chairs near glass walls so that you can read or do homework with a view. There is a glass bridge that connects the main library building with the HKIC, or Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center, a technological workspace. Finally, there is a small, partly hidden garden outside with charming log benches and a sign that points to various fantasy places, such as Hogwarts and Narnia.
Below are some photos of the Lee Road branch of Heights Libraries. I’m really excited to share my library with you! Comment and let me know what your favorite part of your library is!
Hello, and happy summer break! I haven’t had much of a chance to write, but now that I’ve gotten out the issue of Best Friends Essential that I was working on, I should have more time to blog regularly. This post will be about The Magic Misfits, Neil Patrick Harris’s middle grade debut. It’s filled with adventure, friendship, and some hidden codes and secrets that make you pay attention.
Carter Locke is running away. Away from his Uncle Sly, who took him in when his parents disappeared, and who has never given Carter a real home. When you trick people out of their money and valuables, you can’t really settle down. Away from his old life as a vagabond, this could be a new chance for him. A chance to live a normal life. However, when he gets to the small town of Mineral Wells, he doesn’t find normalcy. What he does find is secrets, mysteries, and new friends. Can this band of magical misfits outwit an evil villain who may have more in common with them than they think?
I hope that you enjoyed this blog post, and that you decide to try out The Magic Misfits. In addition to being a successful comedian and actor, Neil Patrick Harris has proven himself a talented author. The Magic Misfits in the first book in the Magic Misfits series. There are four books, with a wonderful cast of characters. I have read them all, but am still in the process of uncovering their secrets. Until next time, keep reading!
Hi! I’m back. I’ve been busy with schoolwork and Best Friends Essential (we now have a website!), so I haven’t had as much time to post on my blog. I’m going to be talking about Wildwood today, a great book by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. It’s nice and long, with an interesting plot with twists and turns.
Prue is worried. Her baby brother, Mac, was just carried off by crows while she was watching him. Even worse, the crows carried him into the Impassable Wilderness (the I.W.). No one knows what’s in there. And no one who’s gone in has come back out. Prue decides to go in anyway. She just has to find her little brother. Her classmate, Curtis, also goes into the I.W. to help Prue. Once they get in, they see things that can’t be real. In the Woods, animals can talk. Not only talk – in the Woods, animals are equal to humans. When coyote soldiers capture Curtis, Prue must go through a series of adventures to find Mac and get back her friend.
I hope that you decide to read Wildwood based on the description above. Like I said, it’s a great book, and there are more too! The Wildwood Chronicles has three books. I’ve read two so far, and liked both immensely. I’m looking forward to reading the third.
Hi! I’ve been pretty busy lately, especially working on an original newspaper/magazine with one of my best friends. We call it Best Friends Essential. I’m super excited, because we just finished our first real issue. It’s eight pages long! I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my favorite articles and how to create your own publication.
I’ve always liked writing, and I’ve tried many times to create my own newspaper, sometimes on my own, sometimes with friends. However, I never actually finish. I always get busy with other things and just forget about it. So you can understand why I was so excited when, a few days ago, I finally completed an issue of a magazine (it only took, like, 12 years). If you want to create your own publication, just think about things you like, and how you can turn that into something you would find interesting. One of my favorite articles in the February issue of BFE demonstrates this. My family got two cats in April of 2020, a little bit after we learned that we wouldn’t be back in the school building for the rest of the year. Sisters Bolt and Linh are now a huge part of our household, and I love them so much. When I was thinking about article subjects, I thought, “What if I could interview the cats?” So I did. Sort of. I sat by them and wrote down questions and what I thought their answers would be. My interview with Bolt is below. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it!
“Best Friends Essential: We are now talking with Bolt Lubbers, Linh’s sister. Bolt is under the bed in the attic. Bolt, what is a normal day in your life like?
Bolt: Well, typically, I nap, eat, nap, eat, go to the bathroom in my litterbox, nap, then eat some more. Oh! I also attack catnip-filled mice and drink from the running-water fountain my owners got me.
BFE: Sounds like you have a pretty good deal.
Bolt: Yes, I am happy. My owners pet me whenever I come up to them and mew, and throw toys for me to catch. If you’re reading this, red dot, YOU WILL DIE!!!!!!!! Also, since it’s been cold outside, my servants have turned the fire on and covered the chairs with blankets for me to sit on.
BFE: Wow. I want to be a cat.
Bolt: It’s not all fun and naps. There are also fuzzy worms.
BFE: Bolt, can you tell us about “fuzzy worms?”
Bolt: Fuzzy worms are worms that are fuzzy. They have multicolored stripes, and infest my household. I am dedicated to protecting my house from these pests. My sister, Linh, and I spend hours every day battling the fuzzy worms. No one else seems to realize the threat. Their appearance is that of a fuzzy pipe cleaner, but we can see through their disguise.
BFE: That seems like a dire situation. Thank you for informing the readers at home about the invasive species of fuzzy worms.”
I hope that this post inspires you. If you love writing, make a newspaper. If you love drawing, maybe make comics and put them in a friend’s publication or create your own, starring your work. Just do what makes you happy.
Hi! It’s been a while. Today, I have a funny book by award-winning author Neil Gaiman. I just read one of his books, The Graveyard Book, for Halloween, and really enjoyed it. He has some great books for adults and kids alike. The one I’ll be blogging about today is a short, silly book told in first person point of view.
In Fortunately, the Milk, a boy and his sister are home with their father. Their mother has gone off to a conference (presenting a paper about lizards). The next morning, there is no milk in the fridge. All out. You can’t have cereal without milk. Not the same. The father goes to the corner store. The brother and sister wait. And wait. And wait some more, for what seems like ages. When the father finally comes home, he has a story. A story that explains why he took so long. No, he didn’t talk to one of his friends and lose track of time. He got lost in time. When aliens beam him up into their ship, he opens a door in an attempt to escape–a door that is clearly labeled “Do Not Open For Any Reason.” This rips a hole in the space-time continuum. Fortunately, he meets Professor Steg (who happens to be a stegosaurus) and travels through time to bring milk to his children. Will he survive the many near-death experiences? Likely, as he came back and is telling the story. Will he keep hold of the milk? How crazy will this get? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I hope that, if you decide to try this book, you enjoy reading it as much as I did. Have you read any other Neil Gaiman books? Do you have a favorite? Have a recommendation for a book to post about? Make sure to comment below, and I’ll see you next time!
Hello! Before I say anything else, I want to say that this is not a post about The Witches by Roald Dahl, although that is a great book. I should post about that. Anyway, this is actually a post about an original scary story that I have titled “The Witch.” We got an assignment in ELA to write a scary story, and I thought it would be interesting to share the finished product with you. That’s why this post is much longer than normal. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it.
The Witch
Some people are scared of the dark. I’m scared of what’s in the dark. I’m not talking about the blue furry monsters that are hiding under my bed. They wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’m not talking about the mummy in my closet either. All he does is moan and groan. No, I’m talking about the witch.
She’s not your typical witch. She doesn’t have green skin and striped tights. She could pass for a normal lady, except that she’s flying on a broom. Her raven-black hair whips around in the wind, smacking her pale face. Her dress changes colors from a shimmering cherry red, to a deep royal blue, to a yellow the color of a lemon, and all the colors in between. It’s mesmerizing. Every night, she flies around my house, cackling and telling me I can’t hide forever. You would think that she’d be in jail by now. The only problem with that is that no one else can see her.
One night, I slept over at my friend Tommy’s house. We were up late telling scary stories, and then I saw her. The witch. Flying around cackling, like always. I thought, This is my chance! If Tommy sees her, he can back me up, and we can get her locked up for good!
“Hey Tommy,” I said, interrupting him in the middle of his story. “Do you see that thing outside the window?” If he looked, he would see the witch, and it would be obvious what I was talking about. Tommy looked up, annoyed.
“Dude, I was in the middle of my scary story. Harry was gonna see the ghost and go crazy!”
“Ya, ya, whatever. Do you see that thing outside the window?”
“Um, the crow?”
“No… how can’t you see it? She’s right there.”
“She? I don’t see anyone outside, just some crows and a dead tree.”
“Um, it was just a joke. And you fell for it!” I laughed nervously.
“Seriously dude? You interrupted my story for this?” Tommy, indignant, went back to the story. I pretended to listen, but inside, I was panicking. What would I do if no one else could see her? This was a very real threat, but no one would believe me! I had to think of something.
The next night, I brainstormed. First, I had to figure out why I was the only one that could see her. I tried to show my parents, and all they saw were crows. Maybe she used to live in my house. Maybe she had my desk at school. Why me? Then I realized. She was that witch. The witch from a scary story I had read. I didn’t realize at first because I had buried that story deep in my memory, along with all my other fears. It all came flooding back. She was that one. The one who takes kids and keeps them in her house. She wants company, but no one can be with her long before they turn cold and dark and, sometimes, lifeless.
Now that I knew who she was, I needed to figure out how to expose her. In my favorite scary story, Zombies at Night, there’s a kid who is haunted by zombies. He realizes that no one can see them. So, he sets a trap with the brain of his dog and once the zombies surround it, he coats them with flour, thus exposing them. That sounds like the kind of thing that only works in books and movies, though. I had to think of something else. Then it hit me. I could… no, I was stuck.
Every night before bed, I sat at my desk, a piece of paper in front of me. It was titled “How to Get Rid of The Witch.” There was nothing under the title.
Days passed. Then weeks. Gradually, the witch circled closer. You could barely tell, unless you really thought about it. She was by the telephone pole. Then, a week later, she was on the sidewalk. Then, on my front lawn. I was running out of time.
I ran through my daily routine, but I was never fully there. I spent every spare moment thinking of how to take down the witch. Nothing came. It was like writer’s block, except my life depended on me getting over it.
I read every scary story I could find. I was at the library so much, all the librarians knew me by name. I read everything from Halloween picture books to adult horror novels. No ideas. I fell behind in school. When she got me, it wouldn’t matter. Nothing would matter. I would be gone.
4 days. 3 days. 2 days. 1.
It was time. Tonight, she would be at my window. My best plan was to put a dummy in my bed and hide. I have a killer hiding spot. There’s a false back to my closet, and behind it, there’s just enough space to fit. I’m getting a little big, I could squeeze. I’d have to. It wouldn’t stop her, though. Nothing would. Sunday the 15, I would disappear, never to be heard from again. My family would mourn me, then move on. Nothing lasts forever. I have less than forever. I have hours.
All through the day, I worked on a dummy. We’re one of the few people who still buy flour in those burlap sacks. I usually hate it. Why can’t we just buy bags of flour like normal people? Who would have thought I’d be depending on them to save my life?
At bedtime, I go through my normal routine. Brushing my teeth, picking out clothes for tomorrow. I don’t tell my parents there might not be a tomorrow. For me, anyway. Once they tuck me in, I slip out of bed and put the dummy under my covers. Convincing enough from afar. Then, I hide in the closet. While I wait, I slow down my breath. I have this weird talent where I can slow down my breath so much, you can barely hear it. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. I n h a l e , e x h a l e . I hear tapping at the window. Breath slower. Quieter. I n h a l e , e x h a l e .
She’s coming. The witch. Now or never. Quieter. Quieter. Silent. Now.
She’s at my window. She’s coming in. I locked it, but I never expected it to keep her out. Steel can’t stop her.
She’s in now. Looking at my bed. At the dummy. A small, irrational hope, but a hope all the same. I didn’t know how much it meant until it was gone. She’s looking around the room. Her nostrils flare. Uh-oh. She’s looking at the closet. It’s like she’s looking straight through the wall. She’s closer. Closer. Wait, she’s reaching the upper shelf! That’s where I keep my comic book collection. I’m saved! She must think I’m not here. I can live my life, I can see my friends, even go to school! I’ll have to get my grad- wait, what does she have in her hand? Is that my straightjacket from my magic phase in 4th grade?
“Don’t worry friend. You’re with me now.”
Tell me what you thought in the comments! I was trying to make it scary, but not all blood, guts, and gore. Like I said, this was super fun to write, and I hope it was fun to read. I can’t wait to share more of my original writing!
Hello again! I’m really excited about this post. I loved this book when I read it. An interesting and funny story, exciting characters, suspense, and one of my favorite parts was that there were great illustrations, and the words were even in different fonts and sizes, depending on and emphasizing what they said. I hope that, if you decide to try it, you like this book as much as I did.
In Grandpa’s Great Escape, by David Walliams, Jack loves his grandfather. In fact, Jack feels closer to him than to his own parents! Grandpa always tells wonderful stories about his glory days when he flew his fighter plane, the amazing Spitfire, in the Royal Air Force in World War II. However, at the time our story begins, Grandpa is getting old, and beginning to forget things. Small things at first, like making a cup of tea and forgetting to drink it, but then larger things. What year it is. Whether his long-gone wife is alive. If the war is over. For him, the past is more real than the present. Only his grandson, Jack, understands. Jack realizes that to get through to his grandfather, you have to enter his world. The only problem is, when Grandpa starts running away from home, Jack’s parents think it’s best to put him in the old folk’s home, Twilight Towers. There, you can only visit once a week, for 15 minutes. Jack uncovers a plot, and has to get his grandfather out of Twilight Towers. Can he do it in time, and what secrets will he discover along the way?
I hope that based on the description above, you decide to give it a try. Let me know how you liked it in the comments! If you have any other suggestions for books you think I would like, or for me to review, tell me in the comments as well, or go to the “contact” page on the website. Thanks for reading!
Hello! It’s been a while. School is starting soon, but if I have time, I’ll keep blogging. Today’s post is about Conceal Don’t Feel: A Twisted Tale by Jen Calonita. The Twisted Tales are really cool twists on classic fairy tales. In this, Jen Calonita explores what Arendelle would be like if Anna and Elsa didn’t know each other.
Elsa’s life as the future queen of Arendelle is filled with responsibility. She follows her parents, so that she can learn what it’s like to be a ruler. This means attending boring, awkward, political banquets and balls. All the while, she feels as though some important part of her is missing. When her parents are lost at sea, she becomes the queen of Arendelle much sooner than she thought. Is she ready for this responsibility? How can she rule her people wisely when she doesn’t even know the truth about herself?
This was a really enjoyable book that explored the fairy tale world in a completely different way. There are other Twisted Tales too that I can’t wait to read, such as Straight On Till Morning: A Twisted Tale (by Liz Braswell) that explores what the story would be like if Wendy first traveled to Never Land with Captain Hook. If you decide to check out some of these books, let me know what you think! Until next time.
Hello again! It’s been a while. I recently went to the book store, and after a lot of consideration, I decided on City Spies, a great book by James Ponti. That’s going to be the subject of this post.
Twelve-year-old Sara Martinez has lived in a few foster homes, but the worst has been Leonard and Deborah Clark. They take in a lot of kids, more than they have room for, because the state pays them by the kid. Sara was determined to expose them so that the she, and the kids she lives with, can get better homes with families who actually care. To do that, she has to hack into the juvenile justice database to see how many kids are being fostered by the Clarks, and then into their bank accounts to see where they were spending the money. Instead of being greeted as a hero, however, she is arrested for hacking. Her lawyer isn’t being much help, until she meets a strange man called Mother, who gets her a six-year sentence in Crunchem Hall, a school that really only exists in Matilda, but Judge Pancake doesn’t need to know that. Mother takes Sara to FARM, a secret base for M16, where she will learn to spy. Hopefully, she’ll be ready for the mission in a few weeks, where her skills as a hacker will be invaluable.
This is a really good book. I like it in part because I figured something out, which is fun, but it wasn’t the whole story, so there was some element of surprise. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Tell me in the comments below!
Hello again! This is going to be my last post before I go on vacation. I will be gone for two weeks. I will still post about normal books and such, but also look out for special vacation posts! Today, I will be blogging about one of my favorite easy mystery series, Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew. This series is kind of like Nancy Drew for kids.
There are a few different Nancy-Drew-for-kids series, but this is the one I found, and I really like it. Nancy is in 3rd grade, and goes to River Heights Elementary School with her best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne. Bess and George are cousins, but they’re nothing alike. George’s real name is Georgia, but never call her that. She likes computers and comfy clothes. Bess, on the other hand, is super into fashion. The three of them make up the Clue Crew, a club where they solve mysteries. When something mysterious happens, they are called upon by their classmates to help figure out what is going on. In the book I just read, Earth Day Escapade (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #18), the Clue Crew has to figure out who sabotaged their class float for the Earth Day parade before it’s too late!
I hope you like this series as much as I did when I first discovered it. It’s a great easy read. Until next time, and watch out for a vacation post!
Nora's Summer Reading 