Category: Friendship - Blazer Tales

Blazer Tales

There are 4 ways to use this blog: 1) Scroll through to see a variety of books; 2) Click on the 3 lines at the top left to get a drop down menu of books broken down by grade levels; 3) Go to the search box and for title, genre, or subject; and 4) Go to Categories and search by subject matter.

***These reading levels are just a guide to help if needed. Please, please, please do not let any of these numbers deter you from reading whatever you want!!!***

Reviews Published

Professional Reader

10 Book Reviews

Dead Voices by Katherine Arden

9/20/2019

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 4.2

Wouldn't it be exciting if your dad won a trip to a ski lodge for the winter break? Ollie sure thinks so! When her dad wins a trip for five to Mount Hemlock Lodge, Ollie and her best friends, Coco and Brian, her dad, and Coco's mom head out for the trip of a lifetime... but first they have to make it there. They are driving in a blinding snowstorm at night and things are going okay until Coco screams for them to stop because someone was standing in the middle of the road. As they skid to a stop, they get out and no one is there. Who did she see? When they finally make it to the lodge, crazy things start to happen, Ollie and Coco both have scary nightmares, a stranger shows up out of the blue, the power goes out, and the generator quits working. As the sun goes down, the ghosts come out and things go from bad to worse. Ollie gets trapped on the opposite side of the mirror from her friends, Brian gets lost from Coco, and if they don't figure out a way to get Ollie back before dawn, they will all go to sleep and never wake up. Ollie, Coco, and Brian have been in a similar situation just a few months before when they had to battle The Smiling Man and his scarecrows. Can they work together again to get out of this horrific situation, even after being separated? Who is doing this to them? And can the ghost be trusted or should they not listen to the dead voices? Read this super scary, edge-of-your-seat book to find out if they survive or if they become one of the dead voices!!

Katherine Arden knows how to write a spine-tingling book that you will love to read in the dark! Dead Voices is the second book to Small Spaces and it is just as exciting and scary as the first one. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are three friends that will always look out for each other and stick together no matter what. In book one, these three seem like the most unlikely people to ever be friends, and now they are inseparable. I am so hoping that this is not the end of this trio's adventures!! Do not miss Small Spaces and Dead Voices!!!

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

9/10/2019

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 4.1

Do the things you read in books sometimes come true? Does history ever repeat itself? Eleven-year-old Ollie loves books so when she sees a woman trying to throw a book into the river, she knows she has to save it. However, when she starts to read it she gets more than she bargained for. The book contains friendship, love, loss... and someone called The Smiling Man. As creepy as it sounds, Ollie knows that it is just a book, that is until her class goes on a field trip to the local farm, Smoke Hollow. That is when Ollie finds out that the woman from the river is the same as the owner of the farm. Ollie knows something is just not right but she can't figure out what it is. As the bus is going back to school it breaks down and there is no cell service. When the teacher has to leave the kids to go walk back to the farm, things go all wrong. Ollie starts putting the pieces from the book to what is happening and she realizes she needs to leave the bus. Ollie bribes the creepy bus driver with some of her dad's amazing food and he gives her some very valuable advice - run away and stick to the small spaces. Ollie doesn't really have any friends so when a small girl named Cocoa and a popular, hockey star boy named Brian follower her into the woods, she acts annoyed but really she is thankful for the company. As soon as the sun goes down they heard the screams from the bus and the scarecrows come to life. Ollie can not believe it when comes face to face with the characters in her story, but in ghost form. The next day as the sun comes up they find their friends are scarecrows and that The Smiling Man is real. Can Ollie and her friends find a way to get out of this bizarre, alter-universe world that they are in and save their friends, or will they fall into the hands of a madman and become a scarecrow forever? Read this incredibly fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat, scary story that will have you wishing for daylight!!

Small Spaces is a frightening, hair-raising story that will have you turning the pages long into the night to see how it ends. This book, much like the book Ollie finds, is full of love, loss, unexpected friendships, and difficult decision that could be life or death. Don't miss this one!!

Lizzie Flying Solo by Nanci Turner Stevenson

4/27/2019

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 6.0

Have you ever just wanted to be invisible? Do you have something in your life that you want to hide from everyone? Lizzie St. Clair is trying to do just that. After her dad was put in jail for a white collar crime, Lizzie and her mom are forced to leave their home and move into Good Hope, a hope to help people get back on their feet. After losing her friends due to her dad's crime, Lizzie just wants to be invisible with the people in their new home and her new school. Lizzie thinks the one place she feels safe is the library... that is until she stumbles upon Birchwood Stables. Every day Lizzie sneaks over to the stables to watch the kids take riding lessons and to befriend a wild pony who she names Fire. When another new student at her school discovers her hiding in the woods he invites her to meet his horse. She is offered a chance to work at the stable in exchange for riding lessons. Lizzie falls in love with Fire and is determined to work odd jobs to get the money to buy him, but can she earn the money to buy him before time is up? Will Lizzie find a way to go from flying solo to allowing new friends into her life? Will Lizzie and her mom be able to get out of the shelter and get a home of their own? And will Lizzie find the strength to protect the ones she loves? Do not miss this incredible 2019 book!!!

I'm not going to lie when I say that this book made me cry an ugly cry more than once. The strength and determination that Lizzie shows when faced with adversity is amazing!! And I love the fact that Lizzie doesn't expect anything to be handed to her - she works so hard for what she wants. I think kids today need this very important message. Also, even though Lizzie was ashamed of where she lived at first, she does find her voice as she grows and matures. This is another positive message for kids to know that no matter their situation, there should always be hope. I loved, loved, loved this endearing story of love, loss, family, friendship, and determination!

Circle by Mac Barnett

3/5/2019

Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 1.8

What is better than a triangle and a square? A circle of course! When Circle, Triangle, and Square decide to play hide-and-seek, circle only has one rule - no hiding behind the waterfall because it is dark. Square was fine with that, but Triangle wasn't afraid. When Circle finished counting and opened her eyes, Square quickly pointed out that Triangle had gone behind the waterfall. Circle was very brave and said she would go find him. When Circle gets behind the waterfall in the dark, does she find Triangle? What happens when Circle sees more that one pair of eyes in the dark? Read this precious story to find out what happens!

I absolutely love Mac Barnett's Shapes Trilogy, and so do my kids! I love the dry sense of humor throughout these books! I know that this is supposed to be the final book of this trilogy, but in my opinion Mac Barnett needs to get rid of the word "trilogy" and continue writing these amazingly funny books! What shape would you want next??

The Astonishing Maybe by Shaunta Grimes

2/23/2019

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 5.3

Have you ever met someone who seems a little odd? Well that is an understatement when it come to Roona. When Gideon and his family pull up to their new house the first thing he sees is this odd girl on roller skates, wearing a bathing suit over her clothes, rainbow-striped socks, and a blanket around her neck like a cape. Gideon soon finds out that you can't judge a book by its cover. He and Roona become fast friends even though they are completely opposite. Even though Gideon is about to go into the seventh grade, he is not allowed to even walk across the street by himself. Roona on the other hand, is very adventurous and believe is magic. Gideon's conservative self does not believe this until he actually sees it for himself. Roona's mom has been so sad since her dad has been gone with the military, every time she bakes something her feelings go into whatever she is making. When Roona and Gideon race to the nursing home to keep anyone from eating a birthday cake, they are too late. Everyone is sad and crying and Gideon can not believe his eyes. Next, she makes cookies for his sister's kindergarten orientation and everyone went crazy. So when Roona said that she was going to Las Vegas to find her dad and bring him home, Gideon knows his parents would ground him for life if he went on a public bus to Las Vegas, but how can he let her go alone. When they get there they find out that Roona's dad is actually in prison, not the military. Roona is shocked and doesn't know how to process this information. As Roona's mom's mental health is declining, Roona is scared because the last time her mom was put in the hospital, she had to go live with her aunt who beat her. Gideon knows he has to help his friend but his parents do not want to get involved. Can Gideon find a way to help his friend get through this tough time in her life? Will Roona be shipped off to her abusive aunt? Can Roona help her mom get better? To find out these answers, read this incredible book!

I have to give a warning on this book - it will tug at your heartstrings! It is sad what Roona has gone through in her short life. It is also amazing what she is willing to do to save her mom and herself. Also, it is heartwarming what Gideon is willing to do for a friend that he has only known a short time. This is a must read story about family, friendship, and breaking the rules for the greater good.

Maybe a Mermaid by Josephine Cameron

2/9/2019

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 6.3

Have you ever had a good thing right in front of your face and you didn't realize it? Anthoni Gillis is in this exact situation. She has a plan to get a True Blue Friend, one that will always be with you through thick and thin, but so far in her eleven year old life, she has not found one. Her mom sells Beauty & Bee cosmetics and she is working her way up the company; however because of her success they have always moved around and Anthoni has never been able to make a true blue friend. When her mom surprises her with a summer trip to Thunder Lake and the Showboat Resort, where her mom grew up, Anthoni assumes it is because her mom is about to advance in the company. She soon finds out that it is completely the opposite. Her mom has not been following their plan and is slowly loosing control of her business. Antoni is furious with her mom but she meets Maddy, Juile, Kurt and DJ and instantly knows that Maddy is going to be her True Blue Friend. Little does she know that things are not always as they seem - when it comes to her friends and when it comes to the crazy lady, Charlotte, who runs the Showboat Resort. Will Antoni work her plan and make Maddy her True Blue Friend? What about DJ? He has been by her side the whole summer, but when he is pushed aside by Antoni's plan to make Maddy her True Blue Friend, will he be able to overcome his hurt feelings? Can Antoni's mom get her business plan back on track or will they be forced to come up with another plan? Don't miss this endearing story of family, friendship, and the persistence to get what you want out of life!

This is such a precious story of a girl who just wants a friend and then doesn't realize it when one is right in front of her face. It's also a story of a girl with a concrete plan and finding out that not all plans work out like you think. I love Antoni's work passion and her passion to find a friend. I also love that when her plan doesn't go the way she expects it to, she doesn't give up on her plan, she just reevaluates it. This is a must read book for 2019!

Firegirl by Tony Abbott

1/20/2019

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 4.1

Have you ever done the right thing even if it cost you a friend? Tom is a seventh grade kid in a Catholic school. His best friend, Jeff, is not the nicest kid around but it's his only friend. Tom has a huge crush on a girl in his class but he doesn't have the nerve to even talk to her. One day their teacher announces that a new student will join their class and she gives them a warning about her appearance. Jessica has been badly burned and the students have a very hard time accepting her. The students in the class do a very good job of ignoring her yet at the same time rumors fly about how she was burned. One day during their daily prayer Jeff refused to hold Jessica's hand because he is so repulsed by her. Jeff doesn't think anything about it but Tom feels sorry for Jessica. Since Tom lives a few houses away from Jessica, Mrs. Tracy asks him to take her homework to her after an extended absence. Tom learns a lot about Jessica that day and actually wants to consider her a friend. This does not go over well with Jeff and their friendship disintegrates. Will Tom really choose Jessica over Jeff? Will this cause problems with the other kids in the class? To save face, should Tom go back to ignoring Jessica like all the other? Read this incredible story about compassion, friendship, and the decision to do what is right no matter what it costs.

This book was published in 2006 and I missed it so many years ago. It was not until Tony Abbot send me his new book, The Great Jeff, that I read Firegirl. Since The Great Jeff is the story of Tom's friend, Jeff, I wanted to read Firegirl so that I would know what was going on. I am so glad that I didn't go one day longer without reading this book. In a time when kids who are different seemed to be picked on and bullied, this is a refreshing story of a kid who realizes that it is wrong, especially when Tom is a shy kid himself. Run out today to get this book so you will be ready for The Great Jeff!!

Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo

1/6/2019

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 4.7

Imagine that your mom moves you around from place to place to place and each one is going to be your "forever home". Ruby wants her forever home to be back in the home where she last shared with her dad, but her mom has brought Ruby back to her own home town. She once again promises Ruby that this will be their forever home but within a week of being there her mom gets arrested and things are not looking good. Ruby knows there is no point in making friends because they will not be there for long, however she didn't expect to meet Abigail. Abigail is the old, crazy lady that lives in the shed next to her house and feeds the birds. Rumor around town is that she killed her husband and daughter many years ago. Ruby sees a different side of her but she can't deal with it because she has her own problems. She is trying to avoid a huge biography project since she knows that they will be moving soon and won't be there to present it. Her teacher, Mr. Andrews, and the kid trying to be her friend, Ahmad, think otherwise. Will this home actually be their forever home? Will Ruby expose Abigail for who she truly is or will Abigail's pain be more than she can bear? What happens with Ruby's mom's arrest and will she ever take Ruby back to the only home that she knew? Read this incredible book to find out what happens with Ruby and those around her!

Ruby in the Sky is a phenomenal book about love, loss, friendship, and overcoming when all the odds are against you. Ruby shows us all that even though we may be lonely and in pain ourselves, there can be others that need our help. No matter what kind of walls we put up around ourselves, those walls can be broken down for a new beginning. This book has such an amazing message and does not need to be missed!!!

Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre

12/24/2018

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 6.2

Imagine that you are twelve-years-old, your mother has just passed away, you have never known your father, and you have absolutely no family. You know that foster care is in your future. Sad, right? This is what Wavie is facing. The mother that she loves more than anything in the world has just passed away from cancer. She has no where to go, or at least that what she thought until her aunt shows up out of the blue to claim her. Samantha Rose is a loud, obnoxious, leopard-print legging wearing lady who professes to be her aunt. She takes her back to Conley Holler to the house that her mom grew up in. The problem is, Samantha Rose is anything but the nice, motherly person and the house is falling apart around them. They are poorer than poor and Wavie soon realizes the real reason that Samantha Rose offered to take her. The only good thing that happens in Wavie's life is that she makes two new best friends - Gilbert and Camille. The longer she is in Conley Holler the more she begins to unravel the secrets of her life and her mother's life. Can Wavie and her friends uncover the secrets before Samantha Rose takes legal custody? Can she find a way out of Conley Holler or is she destined to live a dead-beat life in a place that her mother fought hard to get her out of? Read this incredible book to find out what happens to Wavie!

I absolutely loved this story. From the first page you are friends with Wavie and you are cheering for her until the last page. You feel her pain and throughout the whole book you are pulling for her to overcome the life she has been thrown into. You also cannot help but love Gilbert and Camille. They are amazing friends to Wavie and they are the kind of kids that you would love to have as a friend also. Do not miss this heartwarming story of family and friendship, love and loss, and overcoming incredible odds.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez

12/18/2018

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 5.2

Have you ever felt a little different from the people around you, including your family? This is exactly how Malú feels, especially around her "SuperMexican" mom. Malú (short for Maria Luisa) loves punk rock, wearing t-shirts and shorts, and skateboarding; she absolutely hates cilantro (what person of Mexican descent hates cilantro??). Malú's parents are divorced and she feels more comfortable with her dad who owns a record store than her mom who is a college professor. The huge problem facing Malú right now is that her mom is moving them away for a new job. She will lose her dad and her friends. Starting over at a new school is hard enough, but when you look and dress different than everyone else, it is a bazillion times harder. Malú has decided that she will not be happy with this move, no matter what. Malú is very unhappy, and to make matters worse, on the first day of school, she offends the the school's queen bee and gets in trouble for violating the dress code. Little does she know, but by violating the dress code, she finds some of her very best friends in the process. Will Malú ever be happy in her new home? Does her dream of being in a punk rock band die with the move, or is it just the beginning? Read this incredible story of family, friendship, and overcoming all odds to find yourself.

I absolutely loved this story! Malú teaches the reader how to continue to be yourself even when the majority is against you. This book also teaches you that true friendship can be bent, but not broken and that family is always there for you no matter what. Do not miss this amazing story!!