The Grounding of Group 6 by Julian F. Thompson

The people in their group, Group 6, were all sixteen, all five of them and none of them was fat.

Imagine finding out the private boarding school you have been sent to was not where you will study but you will be killed. The members of Group 6 find this out because their teacher has a change of heart and cannot kill them. The group stays together in the woods learning to live off the land, evading killers and dealing with the realization their parents hate them enough to kill them.

Great questions asked of the reader not just what if? but what kind of person are you?

Thompson, J.F. (1997). The grounding of group 6. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.
ISBN: 080505085X

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

My name is Elizabeth but no one's ever called me that.

To escape from her father, stepmother and new step sister, Daisy goes to England to stay with her aunt and cousins. War breaks out leaving Daisy and her cousins to fend for themselves. Soon, soldiers split up the cousins by gender but not before Edmond and Daisy fall in love.

Rosoff, M. (2004). How i live now. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.
ISBN: 0385746776
194 pages

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace and new friend Calvin are thrust into another world after encountering Mrs Whatsit on a stormy night. They travel through time and space to bring back Mr Murry who has been missing for a long time.

The story is adventurous and opens the mind. I didn't read this when I was younger and I found myself completely enthralled in the story. I look forward to reading the rest of their adventures.

L'Engle, M. (1976). A wrinkle in time. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Books.
ISBN: 0440998050

The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1) by Julie Campbell

The first book in the series where Trixie meets her soon to be best friends Honey Wheeler and Jim Frayne. They band together to help Jim find the money his uncle, Mr Frayne was reputed to have hidden in his mansion after he passes away. The search becomes frantic when Jim's evil stepfather comes to get his share.

My mom gave me a box of my stuff a few years ago and in it were a few Trixie Belden books. I placed them on my bookshelf and thought maybe I would read them someday. After reading Nancy Drew, I HAD to read Trixie Belden. I remembered this book more clearly than the Nancy Drew. I prefer Trixie Belden to Nancy Drew. A blasphemous statement for some!

I again tried to consider this book from a child of today. I still found it interesting if not slightly outdated in language. The pace was quick and the characters different enough to be interesting. I found it amusing that both Trixie and Nancy were dealing with snake bites. Snake bites must have been terrifying back in the day. Trixie is a strong female character especially for 1948. And it was printed in Racine where I grew up!

Campbell, J. (1948). The secret of the mansion. Racine, WI: Western Publishing Company.
ISBN: 0307215245

The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew, Book 6) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy with pals, Bess and George, help new friend Millie's grandmother keep her farm by being boarders for a part of the summer. Before long, the gang is investigating the goings on of a cult renting part of the property, Nancy is accused of passing counterfeit money and a mysterious woman doesn't accept Nancy's help.

I think I read all of these books when I was younger. I tried to read it as a child of today to see if it would still be relevant. Some of the language is out dated but the pace was quick and the story was still engaging. I am amazed at how strong Nancy is considering this was written in 1931!

Keene, C. (1989). The secret of red gate farm. New York, NY: Grosset and Dunlap.
ISBN: 0448095068
No illustrator credit listed

The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) by Lemony Snicket

The Baudelaire Orphans, Viola, Sunny and Baby Sunny, find themselves being sent to a new home where they are forced to work in a lumber mill. Count Olaf shows up and no one believes the orphans so they are forced to save themselves.

I have not read any of these books and had no problem becoming engrossed in the story. The hook of these books is the unfortunate, unpleasant tone Lemony Snicket takes in telling the story. I found the story more funny than scary. It would appeal to both boys and girls.

Snicket, L. (2000). The miserable mill. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN: 0439272637
Illustrated by Brett Helquist

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Twelve year old Claudia, with her younger brother in tow, runs away from home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to live. The two adapt to their new situation and find a mystery to solve that will lead them home again.

The author captures the voice of the oldest child and the sleights felt. Who didn't wish to crawl into a bed at a museum and just sleep there?

Konigsburg, E.L. (2002). From the mixed-up files of mrs. basil e. frankweiler. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.
ISBN: 0689711816
Illustrated by the author

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Pippi lives with her pet monkey and her horse in her home, Villa Villekulla. She is so strong she can lift a horse, so self sufficient she can cook all her meals and so clever she doesn't have to go to school. Everyday with Pippi is an adventure and Tommy and Annika can't wait to join her on them. Pippi is irreverent, humorous and does just what she wants!

In this book, it is apparent the author understands children's impulses. Pippi's why not attitude and her common sense are appealing. Why wouldn't you draw a friendly face on the walls? Why not invite the horse in to live? Each chapter is a new adventure with Pippi and captivates the imagination. The situations and words are silly and mostly familiar to children even today. Unfamiliar words will not stop a reader from understanding the story. Worth reading again at any age!

Lindgren, A. (1978). Pippi longstocking. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
ISBN: 0881037761
Illustrated by Louis S. Glanzman
Translated by Florence Lamborn

The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

A collection of four stories involving Peter Rabbit: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and The Tale of Mr. Tod. When first we meet Peter, he is a young rabbit and in the last story he has a family of his own. In addition to Peter, numerous other animal characters are introduced. The illustrations are beautiful and reflect a love of nature.

There is more text on these pages than normally found in a picture book. However, paragraphs are separated by much white space to draw a child's focus to one spot. The animals take on familiar human characteristics that children will relate. Interesting word choices, such as soporific or lippity, are unfamiliar to children but are fun to say. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the illustrations until I opened the books.

Potter, B. (2003). The complete adventures of peter rabbit. London, England: Frederick Warne and Company.
ISBN: 072324734X
Illlustrated by the author