“The Adventures of Chance Fortune” Series by Shane Berryhill

1. Chance Fortune and the Outlaws
2. Chance Fortune in the Shadow Zone

A fun series that parodies popular superhero stories while telling a good story at the same time.

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18;

Ever since he was a young boy, Josh Blevins has wanted to be a superhero. One day, when he was nine, a retired superhero moved in across the street from him. Joshua immediately went over to talk to the retired hero, and after a brief discussion the man agreed to train Joshua as his apprentice. Now, five years later, Joshua has become the epitome of physical and mental fitness, and he sends in an application to a superhero academy. When they respond, however, they have horrible news. They respect his physical and mental prowess, but because he doesn’t possess a superpower, he is unable to attend the Academy. Joshua is not defeated, however, and he reapplies as the hero ‘Chance Fortune’, who has the power of good luck. This time he is accepted, and he leaves for the academy, never realizing the adventure awaiting him. The second book continues the adventure.

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Bird & Squirrel by James Burks

Graphic Novel

A very funny story about a timid squirrel and a carefree bird being chased by a hungry and angry cat.

Recommended age: 8 – 10; 10 – 12; 12 – 14

Bird is footloose and carefree, staying late up north because he is having so much fun.   Squirrel is busy getting ready for winter and trying to get Bird to leave him alone.   When Squirrel sacrifices his winter food supply to save bird from getting eaten by the Cat, Squirrel decides to try to go south with Bird rather than risk starvation in the north.   But, an uptight fearful Squirrel, a foolish carefree Bird, and an angry hungry cat make for some fun reading.

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“Hatfords and Malloys” Series; also known as the “Boys vs. Girls” Series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

1. The Boys Start the War (1992)
2. The Girls Get Even (1993)
3. Boys Against Girls (1994)
4. The Girls’ Revenge (1998)
5. A Traitor Among the Boys (1999)
6. A Spy Among the Girls (2000)
7. The Boys Return (2001)
8. The Girls Take Over (2002)
9. Boys in Control (2003)
10. Girls Rule! (2004)
11. Boys Rock! (2005)
12. Who Won the War? (2006)

A fun series of a long-running boys vs. girls feud — based on the Hatfields and McCoys feud.

Recommended age: 10 – 12; 12 – 14.

The four Hatford boys were sad that their friends and neighbors, the Bensons — who had five boys — had moved away.   Worse, the family that is renting the Bensons’ house, the Malloys, have three girls.   The boys decide that if they can drive the girls away, then maybe the Bensons might need to return to their house.  The girls, meanwhile, decide that they are going to get back at the boys who are spying on them.   In the process, war is declared.   Sometimes the boys get the upper hand, and sometimes the girls do — but usually, each side’s schemes get turned around to the other side’s advantage.

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Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies by Andrea Beaty

A fun parody of alien attack/fear-based type movies.

Recommended age: 8 – 10; 10 – 12; 12 – 14

Kevin and Joules are spending the week at Camp Whatsitooya while their parents compete at the International SPAMathon Dessert competition.   Unknown to Kevin and Joules, fierce Fluffy Bunnies — refugees from a far-away planet — have landed in the woods nearby and intend to take over the world and eat everyone.

Click on the link READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page to see the complete review for this book.

“Alcatraz” series by Brandon Sanderson

1. Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians.
2. Alcatraz versus the Scrivener’s Bones.
3. Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia.
4. Alcatraz versus the Shattered Lens.

A very fun and humorous adventure series.  Our whole family laughed our way through it.

Recommended age:  10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16

The Evil Librarians control our world, restricting access to truth.   Alcatraz is really from the Free Kingdoms where the Evil Librarians have no control.   Alcatraz leads the fight against the Evil Librarians using his talents — which can help him or hurt him.   He tends to break things (good when it is the enemy’s gun, bad when it is the plane he is flying in).  His grandfather’s talent is that he is always late (so that he is often late for bullets which have been fired at him).

Click on the link READ ALL REVIEWS on the right-hand side of this page to see the complete review for this series.