“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” — Walt Disney
Change is hard. We’ve spent the past year transitioning my mom (who suffers from dementia) and her husband to living full time in Arizona—leaving behind the peaceful retreat my parents built almost 25 years ago in Gallup, New Mexico. It means selling the home that saw countless Thanksgivings where hearts were made even fuller than stomachs; summer nights of Navajo Tacos, homemade ice cream, and cheering on bull-riding cowboys; card games that lasted into the wee hours; and “fox hunts” on the trail. It also means saying goodbye to the last tangible connection to my dad.
One very bright spot in my many visits to the town that raised me is spending time with my nephew, his darling wife, and their five kids who are already proving to be as warm and kindhearted as their parents. The three oldest and I quickly discovered a shared love for books and, one sunny Sunday afternoon, we decided to form a summer book club. I’d send them books I thought they’d love and they’d let me know if they were a hit or a miss. Then we agreed I’d share their reviews here so other kids can find books they love too. It’s a win/win.
Before we share June’s picks, meet my book club besties:
Tate
A couple weeks out from turning 11, Tate is a voracious reader. His favorite books are Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Geronimo Stilton. He thinks the hardest job ever would be US President so he’s steering clear of politics and instead hoping to hone his awesome sports skills into becoming a professional baseball player someday. If he had his wish, the sky would rain Bertie Botts beans, he could transform objects into other objects, and he’d never have to clean a bathroom again. He thinks Darth Vader is as villainous as they come because he hurts others and his light saber can cut through anything except beskar. The silliest word he knows? Tim Buck Too.
Nolan
Nine-year-old Nolan just sealed the deal as favorite great grandchild by saying his dream job is owning a trading post. If the stars seem a little brighter tonight, that’s his Great Grandpa Tanner beaming from heaven. This lego-building aficionado dreams of chicken nuggets covered in bbq sauce, avoiding laundry duty for life, and using his super power to blow things up like a bomb. Don’t worry though, he’s one of the good guys. Which is why he’s not a fan of Mardu, who betrayed his kingdom. I’m glad to be a part of Nolan’s kingdom. His favorite books are Captain Underpants, Geronimo Stilton, and The False Prince. The silliest word he’s ever heard? Bitsui Buttcrack.
Jude
Sweet Jude is seven. He’s a big fan of The Magic Treehouse books and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. There’s nothing wimpy about Jude though, he’s got serious kicking skills and hopes to use them to become a professional soccer player someday. The job he never wants? Vice President of the US. Nothing but the top for this sushi-loving 7-year-old! He dreams of being able to control liquids and use them whenever he wants—maybe even find a way to use them to clean the backyard, his most despised chore. Captain Hook tops his list of worst villains because he hits people with his hook and even his friends don’t like him. Clearly, Jude knows it’s best to fight fair and be a good friend. The word that makes him giggle the most? Diabetes.
JUNE’S PICKS
Tate’s Review: I think I like this book better than Fablehaven because it has more action in it and dragons are my favorite mythical creatures. Also, Bracken (my favorite character from Fablehaven) is in this book. It’s really suspenseful so I’m excited to start the second book. I give it 4.5 stars. This book is similar to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson because there is magic in it and it has action in it like Percy does. It’s very descriptive which is just like Harry Potter. I didn’t like that the somber knight didn’t take action but seemed lazy and a scaredy-cat.
Nolan’s Review: This is a really good book because it has mysteries and it kept me interested. I’ve never read a book like this before. I really liked the end of the book and I’m excited to start the 2nd book in the series. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. (Nolan loves reading but struggles sometimes to find books that hold his attention. This felt like a huge win—especially when he included it in his list of favorite books above and his mom told me he’s already finished the second book in the series and is insisting she order the third!)
I struck out on this one. Hey, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, right? While Jude’s mom said he had the reading capability of this book, he seemed a little overwhelmed by the size of it and kept choosing Diary of Wimpy Kid or books similar in size. The goal is to find books he loves reading on his own so here’s hoping next month’s pick does the trick!