Mrs.+Chaya+Reads+the+Challenge

Book #1 __Bright Shadow__ by Avi I am a long time Avi fan, and once again, he delivers with __Bright Shadow.__ A fantasy story, we follow the character of Morwenna, a chamber maid to the king. Through a fluke of fate, Morwenna has been granted 5 wishes by a dying wizard. Since her country is being viciously oppressed by the cruel King Ruthvin, these wishes could help save her fellow citizens, except for one strange pitfall. Ah, but you'll have to read the story to find out about that.

Book #2 __Down the Rabbit Hole__ by Peter Abrahams A clever mystery with a heroine named Ingrid. Ingrid seems like a typical 13-year-old, until a chance encounter with someone in her town changes her life forever. Ingrid becomes entangled in a murder, and eventually even considered a suspect. And all this while starring in the community theater production of Alice in Wonderland. Ingrid uses the skills of her hero, Sherlock Holmes, to break the case! A good book if you like realistic fiction and mysteries.

Book #3 __The Mysterious Benedict Society__ by Trenton Lee Stewart Someone is recruiting mentally gifted orphans for a top-secret project. Reynie Muldoon soon finds himself battling the forces of evil with his new group of super-intelligent and quirky friends--Sticky, Kate and Constance. A clever mystery novel that proves you can be flawed, and yet still be a hero.

Book #4 __The Name of This Book Is Secret__ by Pseudonymous Bosch This is, by far, the most uniquely written book I have read in awhile. It was a treat, simply to savor the author's creativity. The plot was fun to follow, if a bit morbid at times. If you haven't read any books in this series, I whole-heartedly recommend them!

Book #5 __When You Reach Me__ by Rebecca Stead Before you read this book, be sure that you've read Madeleine L'Engle's classic __A Wrinkle in Time__ (and no, watching the movie doesn't count!) This book is an homage, in that it constantly refers back to L'Engle's story and employs similar themes. A fun book to read (and reread---which I dare you not to do when you figure out the secret!)

Book #6 __First Light__ by Rebecca Stead I think I actually enjoyed this Rebecca Stead book even more than __When You Reach Me.__ She actually wrote it before __Reach Me__, and the plot is a bit more complicated, as well as more intriguing to me. Peter visits Greenland with his parents on what he thinks is an expedition to investigate the effects of global warming, and finds the goal of their trip is actually something quite different. Weaves together Peter's story with that of Thea, a young girl who lives in a world of ice and snow.

Book #7 __The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place__ by Maryrose Wood I have a soft spot in my heart for British mysteries. People do the most sinister things in them, but yet with the nicest manners. They also tend to feature plucky orphans, Christmas balls, and mysterious things hidden in attics. Maryrose Wood has all these ingredients in this story about Penelope Lumley, a 15-year-old graduate of the Swanbourne Academy for Poor Bright Females, who has just been given the job of governess to the three adopted children of Lord and Lady Ashton. The book is funny, spooky and leaves you wanting to run straight out and find the next book in the series. That's where I'm off to now......

Book #8 __Nory Ryan's Song__ by Patricia Reilly Giff Well, given that I am Irish, and St. Patrick's Day is celebrated this month, it seemed a good time to read this book about the Irish Potato Famine which happened during the years of 1845-1852. Parts of this book are very sad, as it tells the story of Nory Ryan, a 12-year-old Irish child whose mother has died, and whose father is off at sea fishing in order to bring back money to pay the family rent. The Irish peasants rent land from the cruel Lord Cunningham who would like nothing more than for them all to disappear so that he could raise sheep in their place. Amidst this tension, the people of Nory's village begin to feel the effects as a fungus kills off all the potato plants, the only remaining food source for most families. The Great Hunger, as it is often called, is the reason that many Irish families first came to America---it also makes for a compelling read, particularly if you like historical fiction.

Book #9 __A Tale Dark and Grimm__ by Adam Gidwitz Either you are the type of person who likes it when Red Riding Hood's grandmother escapes the wolf by hiding in a closet, or you are like me. I'm really not satisfied unless the wolf devours both Granny and Red Riding Hood, and then must be killed and hacked open by a wandering hunter, so that Granny and Red can crawl to freedom from the wolf's stomach. If you're like me, then you probably like your fairytales "dark and grim" and you'll really love this retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story that pulls in lots of other references to famous Grimm tales. If you're NOT like me, then I suggest you read __Where The Mountain Meets The Moon__, a similar-type story, and just as lovely, but without anyone chopping off other people's fingers......or heads........

Book #10 __The Westing Game__ by Ellen Raskin I'm a mystery fan, and this book was right up my alley. I like to try to solve the mystery before the detective does--however, in this case there are 16 detectives! They are the heirs to the milion-dollar estate of Sam Westing, who left behind a set of clues in his will. The person who can figure out the clues, wins all his money. A very clever book and a fun read.

Book #11 __The Graveyard Book__ by Neil Gaiman You've heard the expression, "It takes a village to raise a child"? Well, sometimes it takes a graveyard. When Nobody Owens was about a year old, someone slipped into his house in the middle of the night and murdered his father, mother and sister. By luck (or was it fate) Nobody survived through finding his way into a graveyard where he found a new home and a family with the deceased residents. Neil Gaiman based this novel on Rudyard Kipling's __The Jungle Book__. It's a story of identity and survival, and a great read!