Published by Scholastic Press
Summary: Theo’s spent his whole life on a farm in Kentucky with his grandparents. But now the farm’s been sold, and he’s living in Destiny, Florida with his Uncle Raymond, whom he met for the first time a few weeks ago. Uncle Raymond doesn’t seem to like him much, which makes sharing a room at the Rest Easy boarding kind of tough. But Theo’s determined to make the best of his situation. For starters, there’s a piano at the Rest Easy, which Theo can play by ear (even though his uncle hates piano music). Then there’s his new friend Anabel, who’s an even bigger Atlanta Braves fan than Theo. She signs him up for her extra credit school project, which is to figure out if Braves players ever spent time in Destiny. Now Uncle Raymond thinks he wants to move. Can Theo figure out a way to stay in Destiny?
Pros: The characters are memorable and likable (even Uncle Raymond by the end of the story), and the writing is beautifully evocative.
Cons: There’s not much to the story. The description promises a mystery and an adventure. I’m not really sure what the mystery was and any adventure was pretty tame.
Summary: A parent and child work together to make a serve a dessert called blackberry fool in four different centuries. In 1710 England, a girl and her mother beat cream with a bundle of twigs to whip it, pick and strain blackberries, and store their concoction in an ice pit set into a hillside. 100 years later, a mother and daughter who are slaves in Charleston, South Carolina do the same thing, using the tools available to them at that time. The process is repeated by a mother/daughter pair in 1910 Boston, and finally, by a father and son in San Diego in 2010. The author’s note at the end suggests topics of discussion, not only noticing the changes in technology and food preparation, but also the inclusion of slaves and the fact that a boy and his father would probably not have been in the kitchen before the late 20th century. Don’t worry, a recipe is included!
Summary: Miles is the new kid at school. He’s hoping to establish himself as the best prankster there, a title he held in his last school. His pranks keep backfiring, though, and he finally learns why: Niles, the apparently goody-two-shoes kiss-up kid is actually a prankster extraordinaire in disguise. The two eventually put aside their differences and team up to become “The Terrible Two”, ultimately bringing their nemesis Principal Barkin to his knees.
A Kids Book A Day 