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

Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke

12/7/2019

Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 2.5

What would you do to save your best friend? Goblin and Skeleton were best friends. Skeleton lived in the treasure room. One day Goblin was wearing skeleton's old crown and pretending to be the Goblin King when they heard footsteps. Adventures stormed the dungeon and stole everything in it, including Skeleton. Goblin was determined to save his friend so he went on a search for him. When he asked a farmer if he had seen his friend, the farmer began chasing him with his pitchfork because nobody likes a goblin. What will Goblin do? Will he ever find his best friend? Or will Goblin's time come to an end? Read this precious story full of determination, devotion, and friendship. The illustrations are precious and you will be cheering for the cute Goblin throughout the whole book!

Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick

11/30/2019

Interest Level: 3-6; Reading Level: 4.4

Do you think you have what it takes to survive on your own in a disastrous situation? Sam Castine had never thought about it until he was forced into a life and death situation. Sam was at summer camp when a wildfire broke out and the whole camp had to evacuate. Sam was in line to get on the bus when he realized that he left his cell phone in his cabin. He is sure that he has time to run back and get it before the busses leave, what he wasn't counting on was the fire to spread so fast and put up a fire wall between him and the busses. He is forced to run away and flee into the woods. Sam's instincts kick in and he remembers all of the survival strategies that his late father taught him. It seems that every time he gets ahead of the fire, something happens to make him stumble and get back into harms way. What Sam was not expecting is for a girl to burst out of the woods looking for help. Delphy was at a camp of her own when the fire erupted. Together, Sam and Delphy work together to get out of this dire situation. When they see two guys on four wheelers actually setting the fires, they have more to battle than just the fire. Can Sam and Delphy outrun the wildfire and find a way out of the woods? And what about the dangerous brothers who are committing the crime of arson - what lengths will they go to to cover up their crimes? Read the story that will have you on pins and needles with every turn of the page!

Wildfire Is an amazing survival and friendship story! Rodman Philbrick does a fantastic job of weaving these two kid's lives together to make them come together to just survive. He also does a tremendous job of making you think that just when you think they are going to be safe, a curve ball is thrown and you have no idea what is going to happen next. This one is going to fly off of my library shelves! Don't miss this one!

Friend or Fiction by Abby Cooper

11/3/2019

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 5.7

Have you ever had an imaginary best friend? What would you do if that friend came to life? Well, Jade doesn't have to imagine anymore. Her imaginary best friend actually came to life. Jade lives in a town in Colorado where people come and go all the time. Every time she thinks she has a best friend, they up and move and never stay in touch. She is so tired of being alone that she decides to write about the perfect best friend, Zoe. Jade and Zoe go on all kinds of adventures and are always there for each other. But one day when a boy from Jade's class, Clue, takes her notebook for the weekend, Jade feels lost. How can she survive the weekend without her stories about Zoe? When she goes for a walk she happens to see Clue by the nasty pond with her notebook. He drops a few drops from the pond and viola - Zoe appears in the house across the street. Jade has never been happier in her life. She can actually do all of the things that she has written about with the real Zoe. Things seem great at first, but when Zoe starts to get a mind of her own and starts to make other friends, Jade become very jealous because she doesn't want to share her friend. Then things get worse when Jade's parents surprise her and her younger brother with a vacation. Her dad is battling cancer and this trip is with other families who have someone battling cancer. Jade does not want to leave Zoe with the other girls at school because she is afraid she will lose her too. Jade is shocked to find Clue on this trip too, and it is then that she realizes that maybe she has had her nose in her notebook for far too long. Will Jade lose Zoe to the "sparkle girls" at school? Will Clue send Zoe back where she came from so that he can bring someone back to life? Will Jade and Clue realize that the friend they both have been longing for could be right in front of them? Read this incredible book about what it truly means to be a best friend!

I loved everything about this book! I was drawn into Jade's world from the first page and her loneliness broke my heart. And on top of that her sadness over her dad's illness made my heart wrench for her even more. I was so happy when Zoe came along for her, but I quickly realized that Zoe did not know what it meant to be a best friend. I loved how Abby Cooper worked her magic in this story of love, loss, family, and friendship. Don't miss this one!

The Tornado by Jake Burt

11/2/2019

Interest Level: 5-8; Reading Level: 5.6

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever seen someone else being bullied? Bell Kirby is very familiar with this. Parker Hellickson has bullied Bell so severely that Bell's parents have talked about homeschooling him, but except for Parker, Bell loves school. He has friends and he has Creator Club, a group in which he can channel all of his creative inventions. But Bell's notebook is his greatest creation - it holds all of his strategic plans on how to get from one class to another without crossing paths with Parker. He has routes for every situation and contingencies in case of something unusual. Bell was doing alright through fifth grade, that is until Daelynn came blowing into into his class. Daelynn has been homeschooled her whole life but because they had to move, she now has to go to public school. Daelynn is nothing like Bell has ever seen. She wears loud, crazy clothes and spiked, colored hair. Bell's plan is completely blown when his teacher makes him show Daelynn how to get to music class. Daelynn has Parker's attention and is also drawing his attention to Bell. Bell has to shut this down and get back to his original plans. But when Daelynn accidentally makes an enemy of Parker, he now has a new target, and Parker's bullying is brutal. Throw in the fact that Parker's father is the principal, he can get away with anything without getting into trouble. Bell is happy that Parker's attention is on someone else, that is until Bell can't take it anymore. He has got to find a way to stop Parker, but how? Does Bell risk himself for some new girl? And now that Parker thinks Bell is against Daelynn also, does Bell partake in the bullying? Read this amazing story of friendship, endurance, and standing up for yourself and others.

Jake Burt has a hit with this one! He pulls you into Bell's life and you feel like you are standing right beside him, through all of his ups and downs, his strategic planning, his ability to become invisible, and his loyalty. I wanted so bad to punch Parker in the gut because bullies shouldn't win, yet Parker always seemed to end up on top. I love these characters so much and the friendships that form are unbreakable. This is a must read story for everyone!

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!