The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John Ritter

A fun and entertaining story about a baseball game that could have happened in 1881.

Recommended age: 10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

John Dillon has an exceptionally good baseball team out in a small town in Southern California.  He has sent a challenge to the owner of the Chicago White Stockings team to come and play them.   The scene is set for a mighty challenge.   In the meantime, Jack, a young boy with a great imagination, has set out for southern California to join the team.  He claiming that John Dillon is his uncle, a claim that some people don’t believe because John is black, and Jack is not.   On his way, Jack runs into Billy the Kid who is also on his way to the same town for some peace and quiet.

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“Alex Rider” Series by Anthony Horowitz

1. Stormbreaker
2. Point Blank
3. Skeleton Key
4. Eagle Strike
5. Scorpia
6. Ark Angel
7. Snakehead
8. Crocodile Tears
9. Scorpia Rising
10. Russian Roulette

1. Stormbreaker (The Graphic Novel)
2. Point Blanc (The Graphic Novel)
3. Skeleton Key (The Graphic Novel)
4. Eagle Strike (The Graphic Novel)

Action-packed spy stories with good plots and interesting characters.

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

Alex Rider’s parents died in a plane crash when he was a child, and for the last fourteen years he has been living with his uncle, Ian Rider. One day, however, a policeman shows up at his door with horrible news: Ian Rider was killed in a car accident because he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt. Alex senses that something is wrong, as his uncle always wore his seatbelt, and so Alex decides to investigate. The trail leads him to the Special Operations division of MI6, which knows what happened to his uncle. The truth shocks Alex, but what surprises him even more is when the head of MI6, Alan Blunt, offers him a chance to become a spy. The events that follow are more exciting than Alex could ever have imagined, and in the end all his survival skills are required in order to stay alive.

TO SEE THE FULL REVIEW: 

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“Redwall” Series by Brian Jacques

1. Redwall
2. Mossflower
3. Mattimeo
4. Mariel of Redwall
5. Salamandastron
6. Martin the Warrior
7. The Bellmaker
8. Outcast of Redwall
9. The Pearls of Lutra
10. The Long Patrol
11. Marlfox
12. The Legend of Luke
13. Lord Brocktree
14. Taggerung
15. Triss
16. Loamhedge
17. Rakkety Tam
18. High Rhulain
19. Eulalia!
20. Doomwyte
21. The Sable Quean
22. The Rogue Crew

Redwall – the Graphic Novel

An entertaining series about a world of talking animals. Each book contains a unique and interesting story.

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult.   Younger children might find the evil characters and some of the battle scenes to be frightening; some of the violence may be too graphic for younger children.

In Mossflower Wood, there is a conflict between good and evil —  the good mice, squirrels, otters, moles, badgers, hares, hedgehogs, voles, and other such creatures against the evil — rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, and foxes. Time and time again the vermin hordes seek to destroy the peaceful life in Mossflower but are thwarted by the good beasts of two legendary places: Mount Salamandastron (home of the Badger Lords) and Redwall Abbey (home to a peaceful order of mice).   The villains are very evil — killing and maiming everyone in their path, and the heroic defenders of Mossflower repeatedly face great odds, risking all to stop the victory of evil.

Vitro by Jessica Khoury

A story about humans meddling in the process of creation.

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

Sophie has received an e-mail from her mother asking her to come help her at Skin Island.   However, she can only find one pilot who will take her there — an old friend from her younger years.   On the island, she finds that all is not as she expected.  Instead of helping her mother, she finds that she and her pilot friend end up in great danger as they uncover a dangerous experiment going wrong.

“The Staff and the Sword” series by Patrick Carr

1. A Cast of Stones
2. The Hero’s Lot
3. A Draw of Kings

Well-written stories of intrigue, king-making and following God.

Recommended age: 16 – 18; Adult

Errol is the town drunk — at 18 years old.   But one day he is recruited to carry a message to a hermit.  On the way, he is almost murdered.   He and the hermit and the hermit’s companion escape, heading toward the capitol.   However, they are attacked several times on the way, and Errol finds himself separated and in danger, but he pushes on to reach the capitol without being killed.  There he finds out that the enemy is stronger and more dangerous than he had ever imagined, but he doesn’t give up.   In the second story, Errol is still being attacked, and is forced to go on a suicide mission into enemy territory, seeking to kill the most dangerous man in his country.  In the third book, Errol and Liam spearhead the battle to save the country from an overwhelming attack inspired by demons.

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

“Quantum Prophecy” Series by Michael Carroll

1. The Awakening
2. The Gathering
3. The Reckoning

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

Ten years ago, all the superhumans in the world vanished. No one knows what happened to them, and after a year or two they were just gradually forgotten. On the tenth anniversary of the heroes’ disappearance, however, the seemingly ordinary teenager Colin Wagner discovers that he has superpowers. He doesn’t have time to enjoy this discovery, however, as he is kidnapped by villains who plan to use his powers for their own purposes. The second and third books continue the series.

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

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat

A very funny story of a boy who had two owls as pets.

Recommended age: 8 – 10; 10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Farley decided that he wanted to get an owl for a pet.   He unexpectedly gets two — with hilarious results.  Spraying skunks, bullies, cats, dogs running, crows getting outsmarted — the list goes on and on.

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

The Toymaker’s Apprentice by Sherri Smith

A very original story about toymakers and clockmakers and a war against talking mice.

Recommended age: 10 – 12; 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Stefan is an apprentice toymaker.   But his life totally changes when his sort-of uncle comes and takes him on as an apprentice clockmaker.   He and his uncle and his uncle’s jailor, Samir, set off to defeat the plans of some nefarious mice in the country of Boldavia.   Outwitting mouse spies, befriending talking squirrels, and relying on their toy and clock-making skills, they seek to thwart the grand schemes of a delusional mouse queen and her sons. The story is, apparently, based loosely on the Nutcracker story.

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